Usted Está Aquí
by Stalk Me
Summary: As the battle rages on, Hitsugaya finds himself locked out of Soul Society and forced to grow up with the Kurosaki girls. Secrets are kept, puberty hits, feelings are hurt, and Hitsugaya is in risk of losing his shinigami abilities.
1. Dirty Little Secret

**Author's Note:** Before reading this, you should know that I read the Bleach manga, but don't watch the anime. You should also know that I haven't read a Bleach chapter since right before the battle started. The last thing I remember is the full page spread of the captains and vice captains gearing up to kick some ass. So I'm sure there are some inconsistancies with this fic, and I apologize.

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter One:_  
Dirty Little Secret_

His eyes opened slowly, but it took much longer for him to see his surroundings clearly. They blurred at first, a mass of color and light clashing smoothly together, which was pretty, but offered no indication of where he was at. Then, slowly, the shapes and colors sharpened, revealing his location: the Kurosaki clinic. Hitsugaya groaned and brought a bandaged hand to his eyes, as if hoping he could wipe the image from his sight. It didn't work. He opened his eyes again to find himself in the same place: the human world, lying in a patient bed at the Kurosaki clinic, stuck in his gigai.

He sat up with some difficulty. His ribs and abdominal muscles burned with ache, and a bandage on his stomach dug into his skin as his body altered into the new position. He was shirtless and shoving the covers off of his legs revealed that he was wearing a pair of basketball shorts that had to have been Ichigo's at one time. The drawstring was tied tightly to keep them on him, and when he eased himself out of bed and stood on his own feet, the shorts ended just past his knees. There was no sign of his shinigami robes or captain's haori; he figured they were probably bloodstained anyway. Hyorinmaru pulsed against his back, however; invisible, but still there. He may have been stuck in the human world for an unknown amount of time, but he was still a shinigami. He would wait it out.

The door to the clinic was opened slightly, letting in a thin beam of golden light and the din of a family dinner. Hitsugaya walked towards it and pushed it open, leaving the darkened clinic where Isshin must have treated his wounds after the battle, and joining the family in the dining room. Everyone looked up when he entered.

"He's up!" Isshin announced jovially, his smile lighting up his face and causing his youngest daughter, Yuzu, to smile as well, completely innocent. Isshin's other daughter, the one who had Ichigo's scowl, was staring at him with narrowed, calculating eyes. And Ichigo – no, not Ichigo; Ichigo was in Sereitei, where Hitsugaya was supposed to be. Kon, trapped in Ichigo's body until the boy returned, nodded once at Hitsugaya before returning to his food.

"Ya hungry?" Isshin asked finally, gesturing to the empty spot at the table. Yuzu took that as her cue. She jumped up from her seat and rushed into the kitchen, returning with an extra plate and a skillet full of aromatic food. Hitsugaya sat slowly and awkwardly down at the table as she spooned the food onto his plate. The other girl, Karin, sat beside him, and she rudely stared at him, as if trying to decipher something. Hitsugaya rubbed his arm self-consciously; her stare made him feel as though static electricity was running up and down his side…

'_That's not it,'_ Hitsugaya thought suddenly. His eyes widened and, forgetting himself, he turned and sent her a shocked look. It wasn't her stare that was causing his arm to bristle; it was her reiatsu; it had grown much stronger since the last time he had visited the house. Hitsugaya immediately tore his eyes away from her to send an incredulous expression to her father.

Isshin narrowed his eyes at Hitsugaya, as if ordering him to keep his mouth shut. The older man suddenly cleared his throat, his demeanor serious for once. "Girls, Hitsugaya-kun here is going to be staying with us for awhile," he explained. He then turned to Kon. "He'll be staying with you in your room," he added.

Kon nodded; then, as if just remembering that he was pretending to be Ichigo, he scowled. Realization then dawned on Hitsugaya; the girls knew nothing. To them, Kon was their older brother, Ichigo. And he…he was some injured orphan that they were taking in.

"Eat up, Hitsugaya-kun," Yuzu proclaimed happily. "Your food's getting cold!"

Hitsugaya tried to offer her a slight smile, though he was sure it turned out as a grimace. He hated the situation, hated the human world. But he had no choice. With the war going on, the gate between Soul Society and Earth was firmly shut, opening for no one, not even a captain. He picked up his chop sticks and picked at his food, trying to keep the bile down. How long until he could return? Staying in the human world meant that he would age as a normal human. If the war took too long…

Dinner was a muted affair. Hitsugaya, Kon and Karin remained completely silent, while Yuzu occasionally commented about her day and Isshin over-reacted to every little comment his daughter made. When the meal was finally over with, Kon and Isshin busied themselves with bringing a bed from the clinic up to Ichigo's room. Hitsugaya felt like he should help them, but he was still injured, and with Isshin's bulk and Kon's strong legs, they didn't need help anyway. Hitsugaya therefore found himself getting roped into doing the dishes with Yuzu. She washed, he dried, and Karin put the dishes away. The black-haired girl continued to stare silently at Hitsugaya, making him irritable and suddenly self-conscious, wishing that he had a shirt.

"Well, we had to do some rearranging, but we've got the bed in," Isshin announced, just as Karin had put the last plate away. He looked directly at Hitsugaya, his smile wide, though his eyes apologetic. "I think you should probably go to bed," he ordered. "You need your rest to heal."

Hitsugaya glared at him, not appreciating the order. He had gone from captain of the tenth division to kid within a very short amount of time. And judging by the knowing looks Isshin was giving him, as well as the strong reiatsu he radiated, Hitsugaya knew that Isshin knew more about him, the war and just where the real Ichigo was than what he was letting on.

Nevertheless, he nodded and went up the stairs to Ichigo's old room, he'd play along. At least for now.

- * -

It was nearly two hours later when Kon finally opened the door to their bedroom, stepped inside and jerked his head in an indication that Hitsugaya should follow him.

The hallway was dark and quiet; the girls must have been asleep. Hitsugaya wordlessly followed Kon down the stairs and into the dimly lit living room. Isshin was there, dressed in shinigami robes, a captain's haori over his shoulder. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had figured that Isshin had been a shinigami; that had been evident just in the fact that two of his children had such strong reiatsus. But a captain…

Kon looked between Isshin's cocky smile and Hitsugaya's shocked expression, rolled his eyes and flopped onto the couch. Isshin's smile grew as Hitsugaya masked his surprise with a scowl.

"I remember hearing rumors of a genius advancing quickly through the shinigami academy before I left," Isshin announced suddenly. "I assume that was you?"

Hitsugaya crossed his arms. "Probably. When did you leave?"

Isshin settled into an armchair, his smile softening as he reminisced. "Just over twenty years ago," he said. "I fell in love with Ichigo's mother while I was on a routine mission down here. I finished my mission, then left Soul Society. Spent a year dating her, married her and Ichigo was born a few years later." He smirked. "I was captain of the tenth, by the way," he added, noticing how Hitsugaya was attempting to surreptitiously glance at his captain's haori. "So you can imagine my surprise when I found the current captain of the tenth passed out and bloody on the side of the road the other night. What happened?"

Even Kon raised his head and looked at Hitsugaya, suddenly taking interest in the conversation. Hitsugaya sighed.

"We had made a copy of Karakura Town to fight in because Aizen had chosen that to be the place of our battle. Things were going well for a little while, but then Gin somehow moved us all to the real Karakura Town. We decided to quickly move the battle to Sereitei to save innocent lives. We managed to move it there, and we were going to lock the gate between Soul Society and Earth, which I'm assuming they managed to do but…"

"But…?"

"Obviously I got left behind. All I remember is a blow to my head, flashing white lights in front of my eyes and then darkness. I think I remember hearing Matsumoto's voice calling out as I fell, but…" he trailed off, not wanting to say more.

A wistful smile crossed Isshin's face, replacing the serious demeanor he had been sporting earlier. "I remember Matsumoto. Feisty, young thing. She had talent though."

"She's my vice-captain," Hitsugaya confirmed.

"Good for her."

"I miss the lovely Matsumoto-san!" Kon whined from his spot on the couch. "Her boobs are bigger than Inoue's!"

Hitsugaya and Isshin both ignored him. Isshin's expression turned serious once more.

"Hitsugaya Taichou, listen," he said, shifting in his seat. "The girls know nothing of all this. They don't know about Soul Society or shinigami; they think Kon's Ichigo." He paused, his mouth a thin line. "Karin can see spirits. Her reiatsu grows stronger everyday. I don't think she knows much though."

"You want me to keep up the charade," Hitsugaya stated.

"For as long as you can," Isshin replied.

Hitsugaya glanced at Kon. The mod soul's face was hardened in an Ichigo-like scowl. It was clear that he didn't like deceiving the girls anymore than Hitsugaya did. Hitsugaya turned back to Isshin.

"I'll play along," he agreed. "But if they find out on their own and ask, I'm not going to lie to them."

Isshin nodded his head once. "I can agree with that."

Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes. "You should really think about telling them though," he cautioned. "Karin's reiatsu is strong. Once the gates open up again, she'll be a primary target for hollows. You should train her while it's still safe." Isshin's eyes darkened, and Hitsugaya suddenly felt as if he had crossed some line. "I'm just saying you should be careful, that's all," he mumbled.

"You should too," Isshin replied.

Hitsugaya looked up, wondering if the older shinigami was threatening him.

Isshin, appearing to have read his mind, laughed. "Don't worry. I wouldn't hurt you unless I found you with one of my girls."

Kon sat up suddenly and looked at Hitsugaya. "Yeah, that's the only rule. No romancing the girls. Specially for me." He gestured to Ichigo's body. "For genetic reasons, obviously."

"Kon, you're disgusting," Hitsugaya reprimanded.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I actually do think of them as my little sisters!" He stood and came very close to Hitsugaya, bearing down on him. "So once puberty does happen to you kids, if you ever find yourself wanting to get a little closer to one of them," he trailed off and cracked his knuckles.

"Oh, I'm sure Hitsugaya Taichou is shaking in his shoes over that threat, Kon," Isshin said sarcastically. He stood up and came forward, resting a hand on Hitsugaya's shoulder.

"What I was trying to say is, when I first left Soul Society, I still had my shinigami abilities. But the longer I stayed, the weaker my reiatsu became. By the time Ichigo was born, I was completely human. Hell, that's probably the reason why he was born in the first place! The dead aren't really known for being fertile."

Hitsugaya frowned. "Urahara…"

"Urahara is a much smarter shinigami than you and me. And he doesn't share his secrets unless he wants to."

"The Vaizard…"

"Have their own special powers that we don't have," Isshin cut in. "Listen, I'm not saying that it's going to happen to you. I stopped training after I got married, so that's probably why it all went away. I'm just saying that if being around a shinigami was enough for my powers to return and my daughter's reiatsu to strengthen, then being around humans can theoretically have the opposite effect for a stranded shinigami. Be careful."

Hitsugaya nodded. "Thanks," he replied curtly, turning away and heading towards the stairs. His wounds were starting to ache again, and all he wanted to do was lapse into a deep sleep.

"And remember," Isshin called after him. Hitsugaya paused and glanced over his shoulder. Isshin and Kon stood in the living room, the dim light casting shadows upon them, making them look more imposing than what they really were. "It's our little secret."

* * *

**End Author's Note:** You will eventually find out why Hitsu fell from Soul Society...but you find out much later in the story. I greatly look forward to hearing any comments you guys may have about characterization. I find Isshin and Kon a little tricky to write because they're such eccentric characters, but can also display real maturity when they need to. And of course any other comments you guys may have are welcomed as well. Next chapter is done and should be up in a week or so. I hope you enjoy!


	2. Lonely Boy and Angry Girl

**Author's Note:** Most of my lovely reviewers commented on how Karin knows that Ichigo's a shinigami, and, as you'll see in this chapter, I do know that Karin's knows. However, Isshin, Kon and Hitsugaya don't know that Karin knows. And seeing as I didn't have Karin's POV in the last chapter, I guess it did sort of seem like I didn't know either. But I do know. Thanks for pointing it out though! If you see anything else that you feel you should bring to my attention, feel free to do so!

**Disclaimer:** I just realized that I forgot a disclaimer in my first chapter. I've been writing fanfiction for so long that I feel like claiming that the characters aren't mine is repetitive. But, just in case anyone has their doubts, Bleach isn't mine.

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Two:_  
Lonely Boy & Angry Girl_

Hitsugaya opened his eyes minutes before his alarm went off. It was still dark, an hour before dawn, and the house radiated with the chill of a winter night. Hitsugaya welcomed it, sleeping only in the basketball shorts he was given when Isshin was treating him, relishing the cold air on his bare skin. Kon had called him crazy; the older boy slept snuggled under five blankets, curled up in the fetal position with his blankets tucked under his chin. Hitsugaya wondered how long it would take before he was human enough to shiver in the cold.

'_Hopefully never,'_ he thought to himself. He closed his eyes and focused on leaving his gigai. The usual wave of disorientation that accompanied leaving one form for the other made him feel momentarily queasy, but then he opened his eyes and saw that he was standing just beside the bed in his shinigami form, looking down at his lifeless gigai, and he felt the rush of being in his true form.

He turned, stepped lightly up onto Ichigo's bed and climbed over Kon, who was disgruntled over being woken up for the seventh morning straight. "Use the door for once, Toshirou-kun!" he grumbled as Hitsugaya opened the window. He ignored Kon's complaints and jumped, landing on his feet just long enough for him to launch into a Shunpo and head towards the forest that skirted Karakura Town.

He had been in the human world for a week, a mere blink of time in Soul Society, but it felt like a lifetime to him. His days stretched on endlessly with the monotony of human life; the only thing that kept him going was his morning training sessions. And those always ended too soon; he had to be back before the girls woke up, incase Yuzu came into the boys' room and tried to wake up his lifeless gigai.

Hyorinmaru was in his hands as he descended down into the forest, and he was slashing and blocking his invisible enemies by the time his feet touched the ground. He did not pause in his practiced swings; his sword continually moved. He felt nothing however. No relief over being in his true form, no joy in training when he had no one to train with. He knew it was all a show, something he forced himself to do to make him feel like he was still relevant. But he knew better. He was no longer a shinigami captain leading his troops into battle. He was a stranded shinigami boy, reduced to fighting air in order to feel like he was still in control.

"I fucking hate this!" he swore loudly, swinging his Zanpaktou with such force that it slashed half a dozen trees in half. They creaked loudly as they fell to their mossy graves, causing Hitsugaya to finally stop. He breathed deeply as he stared at the carnage before him. A part of him wanted to hack each tree to splinters, but he refrained, knowing that it would be nothing more than a juvenile tantrum. He sheathed his Zanpaktou and headed back to Karakura Town.

Kon was already up and dressed by the time Hitsugaya climbed back into the window.

"Running late today, Toshirou-kun," he reprimanded teasingly as he tied his school tie.

"Shut up," Hitsugaya replied. He laid back down into his gigai, intending to sleep the morning away; however, his gigai had other plans. Somehow, over the course of time that he had been away, his bladder had filled. Grumbling immensely, he pushed the covers off of himself and got out of bed, leaving Kon to find a clean school sweater by himself.

The bathroom door was closed when he reached it, and he bit his lip to keep from swearing. His bladder ached in protest.

'_Stupid human bodies.'_

"Yuzu, I don't need a clip in my hair!"

"Oh, but you look so pretty when you clip it all to the side!"

Hitsugaya couldn't believe it. They were hogging the bathroom over something as unimportant as hair. Matsumoto at least had always let her hair air dry.

He banged loudly on the door. "Other people need to use the bathroom, you know!" he called out.

The door opened immediately, causing him to come face to face with a livid Karin. The girl hadn't said more than two words to him over the entire week. With her level of reiatsu, Hitsugaya figured she could probably tell that he was different, but he still couldn't explain why she always glared at him with such hostility. It only caused him to feel more out of place.

"Move aside, Shiro-freak," she said roughly, pushing past him and stalking down the hall.

Yuzu gave him an apologetic wince. "She's not a morning person," the younger twin explained. She stepped aside and gestured that Hitsugaya could have the bathroom. He nodded once in thanks, then closed the door in her face.

'_Shiro-freak. Haven't heard that one in awhile,'_ he thought as he lifted the toilet seat and relieved himself, one hand on the wall in front of him as he leaned slightly forward.

He had just flushed the toilet when the bathroom door burst open and Kon came in, completely dressed for school and checking his appearance in the mirror.

"Hey! I could have been indecent!" Hitsugaya scolded.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," Kon replied as his fingers fussed with Ichigo's orange locks. "God, Ichigo, I hate your hair," he mumbled. He then pulled out a pair of blue-framed glasses. "Ok, kid, what do you think? With the glasses? Or without?" He repeatedly put them on and off.

On. "Sexy-sophisticated." Off. "Or roguishly good looking?"

Hitsugaya glared at him. "You waste my time," he said, pushing past Kon. "I'm going back to bed."

"Oh no you don't!" Isshin announced suddenly, joining him in the hall and enveloping him in a crushing hug. The purple leopard print pattern of Isshin's shirt hurt Hitsugaya's eyes; he could already feel a headache coming on. "Get dressed and grab something to eat, Hitsugaya-kun! We've got a lot of patients this morning!" Isshin continued. Isshin had refused all week to let Hitsugaya sulk; the older man had insisted that the younger boy help with his medical patients.

Hitsugaya groaned. One week in the human world; one hour in Soul Society. The war wouldn't end soon enough.

- * -

Ichigo – or Ichigo's body at least – was waiting for her outside her school's gate.

"What are you doing here?" she asked moodily. She didn't know what it was exactly, but she knew that he wasn't _really_ her brother. The atmosphere felt different around him than it did her brother, a pressure she couldn't explain, and half the time he forgot to scowl. Not to mention his personality was way off; Ichigo would never stare so openly at womens' breasts.

He brought out a large hand and ruffled her hair; something else Ichigo would never do in public.

"Yuzu is staying over at a friend's tonight, so the old man asked me to pick you up and get you home safe," he explained, keeping Ichigo's scowl on his face, though he threw a warm arm around her shoulders and led her over to a city bus.

She brushed his arm off. "I don't need a babysitter," she snapped as she stomped up into the bus. She showed the bus driver her school ID and continued down the aisle, looking for a seat.

"How about a big brother then?" not-Ichigo said behind her.

She found two empty seats and threw her schoolbag onto the floor, scooting over by the window as not-Ichigo slid in next to her.

"I've gotten along fine without one of those too," she mumbled. She caught not-Ichigo giving her a sad expression out of the corner of her eye. She didn't know if she had hurt him, or if he simply felt sorry for her. She didn't want to know. They spent the whole twenty minute bus ride in silence, she staring moodily out of the window as not-Ichigo listened to Ichigo's iPod, his legs continually bobbing up and down in an impatient and restless manner.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that the bus had come to their street; not-Ichigo had to reach across her to pull the cord to signal to the bus driver to stop. He stood and stepped out into the aisle, taking a step back in an indication that she should go first, no doubt so that he could keep a protective eye on her. Something else the real Ichigo wouldn't have bothered with. She added it to the checklist in the back of her mind.

Not-Ichigo didn't put his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the sidewalk to their house, but he did keep protectively close to her, seeing as dusk was falling. His presence annoyed her. She had nothing personal against whatever it was that was borrowing her brother's body, but the fact that it, along with her brother and probably her father, were keeping secrets from her pissed her off. All she could think about was seeing Ichigo in black robes and holding a long sword. She had done research on the garb and all she could come up with was shinigami, which scared her. Was her brother dead?

She and not-Ichigo had reached their house. He held the door open for her and they busied themselves with taking off their shoes. Karin's mind continued to worry over her real brother. Her only consolation was that the monsters – the ones with holes where their hearts should be – had disappeared.

"I'm telling you! We should just order a pizza or something!"

'_Well, not all of the monsters have left,'_ she thought derisively. She entered the kitchen and her anger intensified when she saw him sitting on the counter, clad in Ichigo's clothes. The T-shirt's sleeves went just past his skinny elbows, and the cuffs of the jeans had to be rolled several times in order for his bare feet to poke through. While she couldn't see it, she knew he was wearing a belt; it's the only way the jeans would even stay on.

"KARIN! MY LOVING DAUGHTER HAS RETURNED TO ME!" Isshin exclaimed loudly. He was standing by the stove, wearing a flowered apron and absentmindedly stirring something that was smoking profusely. Karin felt her annoyance with the men in her family increase at the sight of him, and she had to take a deep, calming breath to keep from lashing out.

Meanwhile, not-Ichigo had dispensed his books onto the table and walked over to the kitchen. He greeted Hitsugaya warmly, punching the boy's shoulder in a camaraderie gesture before reaching for the phone book, presumably to look up the number to the pizza place.

Karin gritted her teeth. One week here and already the boy was being treated like family. She suddenly felt thirsty and decided a soda would cool off some of her steam. She felt his eyes follow her as she passed him on her way over to the refrigerator.

Isshin attempted to spoon feed her whatever he was trying to cook as she passed. She twisted out of her father's grip and yanked the refrigerator door open, sticking her head in in an attempt to find her soda. Now where was it?

Undeterred, Isshin rounded on not-Ichigo, who had gotten through to the pizza place and was ordering several pizzas. "Ichigo! My first born! You'll try some of daddy's cooking, won't you?"

Not-Ichigo swatted him away. "Fuck off," he mumbled. His eyes then widened. "No, not you," he said into the phone.

Isshin chuckled. "That'll show you not to swear," he commented. Not-Ichigo blushed and gave him a rude hand gesture. Karin briefly wondered why her father wasn't reprimanding him for his cheek. Her irritation continued to grow as she realized that there was no soda in the fridge. She shut the door, and then she saw it: In an attempt to ward off Isshin spoon-feeding him the burnt offerings, Hitsugaya had brought a soda can to his lips and was drinking thirstily. It was _her_ soda. The last one. The one she had put in the refrigerator that morning.

"YOU BASTARD!" she exclaimed loudly. All three males froze, Isshin holding out his spoon, Hitsugaya holding the can to his lips, and not-Ichigo holding the phone to his ear.

"Um, I'll call you back," not-Ichigo said quickly, hanging up the phone.

She pushed past not-Ichigo and stood directly in front of the white-haired freeloader. His green-blue eyes narrowed, fixed so intensely on her that she felt a jolt in her stomach. It was not enough to deter her, however.

"That was _my_ soda!" she hissed, reaching up and jabbing him in his chest. She grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt just as he jumped down from the counter. His T-shirt lifted slightly, revealing the waistband of his boxers and an inch of stomach. Karin's eyes fixated on the exposed skin for an excruciating moment before she forced them to return to his face and narrow in disdain.

"Sorry," Hitsugaya spat. He said no more, but continued to glare at her, almost as if he was trying to find the answer to something by looking into her eyes.

Her head grew foggy as it often did around Hitsugaya and Ichigo and occasionally even her father. It was almost as if a pressure was building up around her, suffocating her and cutting off the flow of oxygen to her brain. It made her head pound.

Karin squeezed her eyes shut. "How dare you," she whispered.

"Karin, honey, it's only a soda. Daddy'll send Ichigo out to get some more for you," Isshin admonished. "Now let Hitsugaya-kun go."

"Let him go?" Karin asked, turning to look at her father. "I _wish_ he would go! I'm tired of seeing strangers wearing my brother's clothes!" Her eyes shot briefly over to not-Ichigo before she forced herself to keep them on her father.

Isshin's mouth was a firm line for a fraction of a second, then his ridiculous grin broke through, his jovial mask on once again. "Strangers, honey? Hitsugaya-kun isn't much of a stranger now! Maybe Daddy should arrange a play date for the two of you to get to know each other better?"

Karin released her grip on Hitsugaya's shirt as she narrowed her eyes at her father. The pounding in her head grew more intense, the atmosphere around her more pressurized; she felt as though she was about to explode, her senses going haywire. She was afraid of this new sensation; it had been growing for months and had intensified over the past week to proportions that worried her.

"Why do you insist upon treating me like a child?" she spat. "I'm twelve-years-old, Dad!"

And with that she turned on her heel and ran out the house, stopping just long enough to put her shoes on. As she was shoving her feet into her shoes, she heard Hitsugaya's voice echo from the kitchen. "Let her go."

Her father and supposed brother seemed to take his advice; they didn't follow her as she ran down the street, running west into the fading gray of dusk, her heart pounding as hard as her head. The pain was excruciating. She stopped, bringing her hands to clutch at her forehead, as if holding it would relinquish the pressure. Her vision clouded with white pin pricks of light; she was growing dizzy.

"Karin?" came a familiar, female voice. Karin looked up and through her hazy vision, she recognized Tatsuki approaching her, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you alright?" Tatsuki asked.

Karin's knees were growing weak. "Tatsuki-chan?" she asked, surprised to hear how quiet her own voice was. "What's happening to me?" she whispered.

The last thing she remembered was Tatsuki reaching out her arms to catch her as she lost consciousness.

- * -

"Thanks for calling me."

"No problem. Is Isshin downstairs?"

"No; I took a taxi to get here."

"Why? He's her father; isn't he worried?"

"Of course he is. I think that's why he's staying away."

There was a long silence, but what was left unsaid echoed throughout the room. Karin kept her eyes shut, not wanting to wake up to more questions. Best to let them think she was still asleep anyway.

"He's a shinigami, isn't he? Isshin, I mean."

There was a moment's pause before not-Ichigo replied. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said it too defensively; the tone of his voice acknowledged that it was true.

"I know, ok?" Tatsuki said in a rush. "Keigo, Mizuiro and I followed Ichigo to Urahara's a month ago. He told us what's going on and has been helping us harness our own powers."

"Powers?" not-Ichigo's voice was soft, as if he could hardly believe what he was hearing. Karin even had to strain herself not to jump up and exclaim 'What!?' very loudly. She closed her eyes tighter.

"Yeah, apparently everyone has dormant powers, but hanging out around a shinigami awakens them. So hanging out with Ichigo ignited our powers."

There was another long silence before not-Ichigo spoke. "Yes, Isshin's a shinigami. He was human for awhile, but his powers are back now. They're reeking havoc on Karin. I wish he would just tell her so she'd at least understand what's going on."

"And you?" Tatsuki asked softly. "Who are you? Because I know you're not Ichigo. And if being around shinigami is making Karin faint, then you're not a shinigami because Isshin sent you to pick her up."

Karin heard soft footsteps approach the bed and, a moment later, she felt strong arms slide under her knees and neck, picking her up and cradling her close to a warm chest.

"I'm no one," not-Ichigo said at last.

"That's not true," Tatsuki reprimanded. "You must be someone."

There was a pause, and then: "Could you open the door please? I have to bring her back to her father."

Karin wanted Tatsuki to press the subject further. Now that her suspicions about not-Ichigo were confirmed, she wanted to know exactly who or what was taking over her brother's body.

Tatsuki remained silent however. Karin heard the door open and, a moment later, she felt not-Ichigo carry her down a set of stairs and out another door into the night air.

"Back home, kid?" a gruff voice asked.

"Yeah. And keep your voice down; she's asleep."

Not-Ichigo held her tighter as he ducked down and entered the backseat of the taxi, careful not to jostle her. Once they were in the backseat and the cab driver had closed the door, he shifted her so that her lower half was spread out on the seat, her head nestled in the crook of his arm by the door.

"She your sister?" the cab driver asked as the taxi pulled out of Arisawa driveway.

"To me, she is. Now shut it."

Karin suddenly felt guilty for the way she had been treating not-Ichigo. She thought back on all his protective, brotherly gestures. They had annoyed her at first because they were proof that a secret was being kept from her, but now she thought they were sweet, and she found herself warming to not-Ichigo. He may have been in on the secret, but he wasn't a shinigami; he wasn't one of _them_.

Finally the taxi slowed to a stop and not-Ichigo got out, shifting her so that her head rested on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her waist as he carried her up to the house and opened the front door. Despite her weight, carrying her up the flight of stairs seemed easy for him, and his hand came to the back of her head, supporting it as he set her down onto her bed.

She opened her eyes to see him straightening and turning away. Her hand reached out on its own accord, her fingers circling around his wrist, making him stop. He glanced curiously down at her.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

He regarded her only for a few seconds.

"Kon," he said at last. He twisted his wrist out of her grip and brought his hand to ruffle her hair. "Now go to sleep, kiddo."

Karin felt her lips tug into a smile, grateful that he hadn't lied to her. "Thank you," she whispered, just as sleep pulled her away to unconsciousness once more.

-*-

Isshin opened the apartment door with a flourish, spreading his arms wide as he walked over the threshold; he looked as though he was embracing the dark apartment.

Hitsugaya followed more slowly, his blue-green eyes penetrating the darkness, taking in his new abode. It was nicer than he expected; Isshin would be paying a lot of money to keep him there.

"Not a bad place, if I do say so myself," Isshin commented, flipping a switch on the wall. The apartment flooded with light. It was a studio apartment, already furnished with a large bed, bookshelves, a small entertainment center and impressive kitchen. Isshin handed him a wad of cash. "For clothes and food and other necessities," he explained as Hitsugaya eyed it dubiously. "You'll continue to help me with my patients when the girls are at school – my kidou is rusty – and I'll give you money every week for your services."

"You know, keeping me here isn't going to stop it," Hitsugaya said as he pocketed the cash. "You're a shinigami too. Karin's spirit pressure is just going to keep getting stronger as long as you're around."

"Yes, but I'm not as strong as you; it's your reiatsu that's too much for her to handle."

There was an edge to Isshin's voice, a warning. Hitsugaya ignored it.

"You're only prolonging the inevitable. You should just tell her; you'll have to eventually anyway."

Isshin walked over to the glass sliding doors that led to the balcony. His arms were crossed as he gazed out into the night. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft: "Forgive me for wanting to keep my daughter's innocence for just a while longer. Maybe someday, if you and Matsumoto decide to couple and have a child…"

Hitsugaya scowled, a blush rising up his neck at the mention of the possibility of him and Matsumoto being lovers. It was a well known fact that the bond between captains and vice captains was special, and that in the olden days many captains took their vice captains as lovers. It was also a proven fact that a coupling between a male captain and female vice captain was the only way for a shinigami to produce a child without becoming human. It was how the noble families started.

"Don't be stupid," Hitsugaya said in a clipped tone. He leaned moodily against the refrigerator. "Matsumoto sees me as a kid."

"She respects you and admires you."

"I meant physically."

Isshin laughed: a great, barking laugh that caused Hitsugaya to bristle with annoyance.

"That's because you physically are one. But don't worry. She'll wait."

"What makes you say that?"

Isshin shrugged. "Has she slept with anyone since you became her captain?"

Hitsugaya's blush intensified. "That's none of my business," he mumbled, though his mind was reeling. He knew that just before he became captain, she had an on and off thing with Gin (and several other shinigami), but once he became captain, as far as he could discern, she had become celibate.

Isshin gave him a knowing smile. "Maybe it's a good thing you fell from Heaven," the older man said. "If you can keep your shinigami abilities and age a few years as a human…next time Matsumoto sees you…"

"I can embarrass myself by giving her my virginity and lasting all of two minutes probably."

Isshin chuckled. "Well," he said, looking around the apartment. "You do have your own apartment now, and I'm not your father. If you want to bring some human girls back here and get some practice, I'm not going to say anything." His eyes darkened. "Just stay away from my girls. Literally for now. I don't need them to follow their brother into a war that's bigger than they are."

"As if they can even enter it," Hitsugaya grumbled, his resentment of not being a part of the battle intensifying.

Isshin moved towards the door, his hand reaching out and flicking the light switch so that the apartment plunged into darkness. "All the same," he said as he opened the door. "Stay away from them. Good night, Hitsugaya-Taichou."

Hitsugaya winced when he heard his title. It sounded so hollow when he had no division to lead…when Matsumoto was leading – fighting – without him. He slowly slid down the refrigerator until he was sitting on the kitchen floor in the dark, his knees drawn up to his chest.

He felt worthless and alone.


	3. Questions Linger

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Three_  
Questions Linger_

When she awoke, it seemed as though it had all been just a dream. The late morning sun filtered through the light pink curtains that hung in her and Yuzu's room, and the window had been cracked open slightly, letting in a breeze that was crisp with what was left of winter, but not overly chilly. The suffocating pressure around her had decreased substantially and her pounding headache existed only as a dull ache at the nape of her neck.

Karin stretched her arms over her head, yawned and threw the sheets aside. She sat up and cringed when she saw that she was still dressed in her school uniform. It was crinkled to the point where her teachers would reprimand her for it; thankfully it was Sunday.

She pulled the wrinkled garments off and dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, running a brush through her hair quickly before she made her way down the hall and to the stairs.

The subdued din from the dining room reached her ears before she even came to the bottom of the steps. She turned and entered, stopping short when she saw that only three people sat at the table, eating donuts. Isshin sat at his usual spot at the head; he was chewing donuts with his mouth open, crumbs flaking off his lips as he rambled loudly, mostly to himself. Yuzu had returned from her sleepover, and she was proudly showing not-Ichigo – Kon – her make-over. Her hair had been straightened, a section of it braided and secured with a colorful bead. Make-up smeared across her face, yet Kon still smiled at her and told her she looked very pretty. He brought a hand to tuck her braid behind her ear, and Yuzu, oblivious that it was not her Ichi-nii, that Ichi-nii would never have done such a tender gesture in the first place, smiled dumbly back at him.

"KARIN! MY SPUNKY, OLDER DAUGHTER!" Isshin announced loudly.

Karin ignored her father's jovial greeting; her eyes found Kon's, and he stared at her pleadingly, as if begging her not to say anything that would give him away. Karin realized that she still had to play dumb. The show must go on.

"Where's Hitsugaya-kun?" she asked instead, settling down at the table. The chair next her hers was empty, the void of Hitsugaya sending shivers down her left arm.

"His parents found him and took him home," Isshin announced simply. The playful gleam in his eye was gone, signaling to the girls that the conversation was closed.

Karin immediately looked to Kon for answers. She leaned slightly forward, resting her arms on the table and raising her eyebrows questioningly.

Kon quickly looked away: _Don't ask me._

Not realizing that Isshin and Yuzu were watching this nonverbal exchange curiously, Karin narrowed her eyes at him, as if reprimanding him. Kon kicked her under the table to remind her that they had an audience and to get her to stop. Tears immediately filled her eyes.

"There, there, kiddo. There'll be other cute boys in your life," Isshin said, interpreting her tears as tears of sadness over the loss of Hitsugaya. He reached a hand out to her and gently wiped away the tear that had escaped and rolled down her cheek.

It was then that it happened: the pressure around her increased, not to the extent that it had the night before, but enough to flare her headache to life again. Her stomach churned as Kon's words surfaced in her memory:

'_He was human for awhile, but his powers are back now. They're reeking havoc on Karin.'_

She stared, wide-eyed, at her father, fear settling in the pit of her stomach like a bucket of ice. What was he doing to her? A shiver ran through her body, and then she felt Kon gently nudge her foot with his own under the table, a comforting gesture, and perhaps an apology. Her eyes rounded on him. A corner of his lips pulled slightly upward, but his eyes were concerned.

Karin didn't want anyone to worry about her, so she swallowed her fear, pushing it deep down within her and ignoring the headache that banged between her eyes. She willed herself to be normal.

- * -

"Could you hold my baby?"

"Er…" Hitsugaya glanced questioningly over at Isshin, who nodded. The white-haired boy scowled and grudgingly held out his arms for the infant. He was Hitsugaya Toshirou, youngest Taichou in Soul Society history, owner of the strongest ice sword known to shinigami…babysitter.

The woman handed her baby over, and Hitsugaya held the gurgling droolball awkwardly at arm's length until Isshin walked over and silently instructed him on how to properly hold a baby. The tiny thing clutched at the white, medical coat that Isshin insisted Hitsugaya should wear over his normal clothes. Hitsugaya glanced down at the baby and quickly looked away when he realized that the little human was staring curiously up at him.

"So what seems to be troubling you today, Mrs. Yagami?" Isshin asked jovially.

"My sinuses! My nose is stuffed to the brink no matter how many times I blow it, and I go into these coughing fits that can last for minutes at a time!"

"Are the coughs dry or loose?" Isshin brought the earpieces of his stethoscope to his ears and stepped toward the woman, lifting her shirt and snaking his hand under to listen to her lungs. Hitsugaya blushed when he caught a glimpse of the woman's exposed stomach; he adverted his eyes quickly.

"Loose. Very, very loose, but it's not always easy to cough phlegm up. Sometimes it wedges in my throat and chokes me!"

Hitsugaya suppressed an eye roll; he was supposed to act professional after all.

"You do have a lot of liquid in your lungs," Isshin said after a moment of listening. He glanced over to Hitsugaya. "Wanna listen, kid?"

Hitsugaya glared at him. "I'm holding a baby."

Isshin's laughed slightly. "Fair enough," he said, his hand reappearing from under the woman's shirt. He wrapped the stethoscope around his neck once more then started poking at the woman's face. "Yeah, I can feel the pressure," he said. "You have sinusitis."

The woman blinked. "It's really called that?"

"Yep! Us doctors are anything but subtle. Hey, Hitsu-kun!" Hitsugaya winced at the nickname. Isshin had been calling him it for the past two weeks, ever since Hitsugaya had moved out of the house and into the apartment. Still, he figured it was better than Shiro-chan. "Come over here and feel the woman's face so you can learn what it feels like."

_Isshin code: Use a little bit of kidou to relieve this woman of her sufferings while I write the prescription._

Hitsugaya sighed and walked over until he was standing in front of the woman. "Um, here," he said, awkwardly handing the baby back to her. She took the infant lovingly in her arms and leaned forward slightly so that Hitsugaya could reach her face.

His healing kidou wasn't amazing by any means – there was a reason why he hadn't been put in the fourth division. Still, he was good enough at it to help lessen ailments; patients had spent the past three weeks walking out of the Kurosaki clinic, announcing to all that they were already feeling better despite having to still get their prescriptions from the pharmacist. Business was starting to pick up; if it continued at this rate, Ichigo's college tuition would be paid off by the end of the year.

'_If he even makes it back in time for college,'_ Hitsugaya thought morbidly. He shook his head, pushing the horrible thought away. If Ichigo didn't return home in time for college, then Hitsugaya would go through puberty on Earth. He didn't like the idea of staying away from his duties for that long, though the idea of going through puberty on Earth had its merits. Puberty in the shinigami realm was a long, tortuous process, and from what he heard, puberty on Earth was quick, much like a punch in the face, causing one to be momentarily disoriented before launching into the fray with renewed vigor.

"Yeah, I feel it," Hitsugaya said. He felt the small amount of kidou slip through his fingers as he gently tapped on the woman's face. Her eyes widened slightly.

"Wow, you have the healing touch," she commented gratefully. "I'm feeling better already!"

Hitsugaya offered her the slightest of smiles before he retreated to the far corner of the clinic. Isshin came forward and handed the woman her prescription. She then handed him her baby as she took out her checkbook to pay for the visit.

"And this!" she said, holding up a small amount of money, "is for you." She offered it to Hitsugaya.

He looked at the proffered money indifferently. "No, thank you," he replied.

The woman smiled and slipped it into the pocket of Hitsugaya's lab coat. "I insist," she said softly. She winked, then turned and took her baby from Isshin. The older man smirked at Hitsugaya as the woman said her goodbyes and exited the clinic.

"Shuddup," Hitsugaya warned as Isshin continued to smirk at him.

Isshin ignored his warning. "Women just can't resist Hitsu-kun's healing touch!" he teased.

"I said shut up!" Hitsugaya scolded. "Unless you want me to go bankai on your ass. I know you're out of practice." He half hoped Isshin would take the bait. His morning training sessions were excruciatingly dull without an opponent.

Isshin merely smiled, however, and busied himself by taking off his medical gloves and washing his hands. Hitsugaya sighed. He'd never get an opponent.

He was just about to suggest they get some lunch when he heard the front door slam. Isshin turned around form the sink, his brow furrowing as he looked at the clock on the wall.

"It's too early for the kids to be home from school, and we don't have another patient for over an hour," the older man said.

Hitsugaya followed him out of the clinic to investigate. A few steps into the kitchen answered their question; Kon stood in front of the refrigerator, the door to the freezer open and obscuring his face as he rummaged around in it.

"And what the hell are you doing home so early?" Isshin asked, crossing his arms over his chest in a very father-like gesture.

Ice tray in hand, Kon closed the freezer door and turned to face them; his face was covered with bruises and poorly mended scrapes.

"What happened to you?" Hitsugaya asked.

Kon emptied the ice from the tray onto a kitchen towel. "Ichigo has a lot of enemies," he explained, folding the towel and ice to form an ice pack for his face. "Even pubescent, human ones."

Isshin sighed. "Something tells me I'll be getting a call from the high school." A ringing sounded in the clinic. "Speak of the devil."

Hitsugaya waited until Isshin had left the room before he came forward. "I can heal that," he said simply. Then, without waiting for Kon's consent, he brought his hand to Kon's face, held it there while he released a slight amount of kidou, then pushed the older boy down, just for his own amusement.

Kon fell to the floor, muttering curse words under his breath until he caught his reflection in the dishwasher. "Nice work, Toshirou-kun," he said, examining his healed face. He jumped up to his feet. "Can you heal this one too?" he asked, lifting up his school shirt to reveal bruises along his ribs and stomach.

Hitsugaya furrowed his brow as he came forward to heal the bruises. "Did you fight back at all, Kon?" he asked.

"Nope," the older boy replied simply. "Would have killed them if I did."

Hitsugaya glanced up. "What do you mean?"

He just barely caught sight of Kon's kick a moment before it hit him. He blocked the blow, but his gagai wasn't strong enough, and he ended up flying backwards, hitting the wall with enough force to crack the plaster. The wind was knocked out of him, but he nevertheless smiled up at Kon as he coughed and choked on air.

"You forget, Toshirou-kun," Kon said, coming forward and extending his hand to help Hitsugaya up. "I'm not human either."

Hitsugaya accepted his hand and stood, his smile still on his face. "Hey, Kon?" he asked. "Do you want to spar sometime?"

- * -

The smell of acetone reached her nostrils, irritating the ubiquitous ache in her head.

"Ugh, Yuzu, what are you doing?" Karin complained, lowering her science textbook to scrunch her face at her sister.

Yuzu sat at their desk, a bottle of nail polish in hand as she attempted to paint her toenails for the first time.

"Sorry, Karin," the younger twin apologized. "I'll open the window." She stood and attempted to walk across the carpet on her heels as to not smudge her nail polish, and she therefore tottered on her first step.

"Sit back down, Yuzu; I'll do it." Karin said, getting up. The moment she stood, her headache intensified, causing her to pause and bring her palm to her forehead, squinting her eyes closed in an effort to block the pain.

"You ok?" Yuzu asked.

Karin forced herself to open her eyes, lower her hand and keep moving as if nothing happened. "Yeah. That stuff just gives me a headache," she said.

"You've been getting a lot of headaches lately," Yuzu commented.

Karin ignored her sister's concerned remark and opened their window. She closed her eyes and stuck her head out of the window, letting the early Spring breeze cool her cheeks and ease the pain in her head.

"Put your hood up, Toshirou-kun! If Isshin sees you this close to the girls, he'll knock me out of Ichigo's body and kill me!"

Karin's eyes immediately snapped open at the voice, and she glanced down to see Kon walking across the yard with a young boy. She just barely caught a glimpse of the boy's white hair before he hid it under his hood.

"You know, Yuzu, I think I need some juice," Karin said at once, pulling her head back inside.

"But we're out," Yuzu said.

Karin smiled and was already halfway out the door. "Good. I'll get some." She practically jumped down the stairs, called out to her father that she was getting juice, shoved her sneakers on and ran out the door and down the street. She caught sight of the two figures of Kon and Hitsugaya rounding the corner, making their way to the park. She kept them in her sight, but stayed far enough behind them so that they wouldn't notice that they were being tailed.

She had told herself to ignore it all: the headaches, the pressure, the monsters with the holes, the fact that her brother was gone and his body was being possessed by something called Kon, and, most of all, Hitsugaya's strange entrance and disappearance in her life. And for three weeks, she had tried. But the questions lingered, and all she wanted was some answers, for someone to be straight with her. So she followed them. Quietly. Hoping that they would give the answers away. It felt like forever before one of them talked. They were already halfway through the park when Hitsugaya broke the silence.

"So…any girls in Ichigo's life?"

It sounded like an odd thing for him to ask; even Kon turned and gave the white-haired boy a weird look.

"There are plenty of girls in Ichigo's life!" Kon replied. "Most of them run away from me in fear of getting molested though. Except for Tatsuki. I can't get her to leave me alone."

"I remember her. She had some spirit pressure."

"Yeah. She has more now. She's training with Urahara."

Hitsugaya stopped walking. "Really?"

Kon stopped as well and turned to look at the white-haired boy. "Yeah."

"Why don't you go ask her if she wants to spar with us?"

Kon raised an eyebrow skeptically. "She's not strong enough to go against us yet," he said.

Hitsugaya immediately grabbed the front of Kon's T-shirt, forcing the taller boy to bend over so that Hitsugaya could whisper something into his ear. As Hitsugaya whispered, Kon turned his head so that his gaze fell in Karin's direction. She gasped and darted off the path, hiding behind a huge oak tree, praying that she hadn't been found out.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she held her breath in an attempt to calm herself, but it didn't help. She released her breath in a gasp of air that sounded loud even to her.

"I'm surprised, Kurosaki. I thought hiding was beneath you."

Karin jumped away from the tree to see Hitsugaya standing right next to her. His lips were twisted in a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the tree. She hadn't heard him approach her.

"I…" she sputtered. "I…" Her eyes darted around, searching the park that was lit only by what was left of dusk and a few street lights. "Where's Kon?" she asked at last.

Hitsugaya raised an impressed eyebrow. "You know his name?" he asked.

Karin nodded.

Hitsugaya pushed himself off of the tree and took a step closer, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Knowing Kon, he's probably off looking for porn or something. We _were_ going to spar, but somebody was following us."

"So what if I was?" Karin snapped. "I have every right to look after my brother. Even if my brother's off somewhere and the only thing left is his body." She refused to admit to Hitsugaya that, despite knowing Kon's name, she was still left in the dark and had many questions. Questions she hoped that someone would answer.

Hitsugaya regarded her for a minute, his blue-green eyes staring at her so intently that she was forced to look away from him.

"Does your dad know you're here?" he asked at last.

Karin felt herself blush. "He thinks I'm getting juice," she admitted.

Hitsugaya nodded, then turned and walked back onto the path. "Ok. Let's go," he said.

"Go? Go where?" Karin asked, running to catch up with him, her heart pounding once again, but this time in the hope that Hitsugaya was taking her somewhere to answer her questions. She followed him in silence, her hope diminishing as they came to the busy street and walked up to the brightly lit convenience store.

Hitsugaya opened the door and glanced at her over his shoulder. "If you don't come home with juice, your dad will know you were lying earlier," he reasoned.

Karin glared at him; he had a point. She pushed past him and walked to the far wall of the convenience store, opening up one of the glass doors of the beverage cooler and staring blankly at the assortment of drinks, her anger and annoyance blinding her. It was then that she felt it: a chill on the back of her neck, not from the opened cooler, but from Hitsugaya leaning over her and reaching inside the cooler for a drink of his own.

"Come on, Kurosaki!" he scolded, oblivious to the fact that she had felt a chill radiate off of him. "I'm half expecting your dad to rush in here looking for you at any minute."

Karin immediately grabbed a drink and closed the cooler door, her eyes fixated on Hitsugaya, her questions multiplying after feeling the chill. He scowled at her stare and reached out to take the drink from her hand.

"Hey!" she whined.

Hitsugaya smirked at her. "Do you have the money to buy this?" he asked.

Karin opened her mouth to say yes, but then realized that in her haste, she had forgotten to grab money before leaving the house. She promptly shut her mouth, a blush creeping up her neck, much to her dismay.

Hitsugaya chuckled as he turned and approached the counter. He paid for both drinks, then handed hers back to her as they left the store and stepped out into the night air.

"Thanks," she mumbled, accepting her drink.

"It's ok; it's your dad's money anyway," Hitsugaya replied.

Karin looked up at him. "What?" she asked, softly.

Hitsugaya twisted the cap off of his drink and brought the bottle to his lips. He took a quick sip, then lowered the bottle. "I help your dad at the clinic while you guys are in school," he said. "He pays me for it." He was starting to walk away, in the opposite direction of the Kurosaki house.

"Don't you go to school?" Karin called after him. He had stayed home during the week that he had lived with them, but Karin had always imagined that he'd enroll into a school eventually; he didn't look much older than her.

Hitsugaya stopped walking and turned to give her an amused smile. "I thought you had me figured out already, Kurosaki," he said, his smile twisting into a smirk. "Shinigami don't go to elementary school."

Karin's eyes widened as he confirmed her suspicions. She knew her brother and, apparently, father were one, and she had guessed that Hitsugaya was in league with them, but hearing him confirm it sent a chill down her spine. She was both intrigued and a little frightened by him.

"Hey!" she called after him, as he reached the sidewalk. "When will I see you again?"

Hitsugaya waved her off. "Who knows," he called back. "Maybe never. But do yourself a favor; stop repressing your spirit pressure! It's giving you a headache."

And with that, he was gone, disappeared around the corner, heading towards downtown Karakura Town. Karin stood outside of the convenience store by herself, her head reeling.

* * *

**End Author's Note:** Just going to point out an inaccuracy before someone else does: When I have Hitsu use kidou, he doesn't say the appropriate spell (or whatever) when he does it. Like when shinigami use kidou in the manga, they say something like: "Random Japanese Word, Random Number, Another Random Word!" I thought about using babelfish or some other online translater to come up with random Japanese words to use for the kidou spells, but I decided that it would be a little weird for Hitsu to touch patients and spout nonsense, so I've decided that for the simple healing spells he's using, he can just think the spell and not say it. It also saves me the trouble of thinking up nonsense.

Anyway, I really like the little interaction between Hitsu and Karin at the end of this chapter. The beginning of the chapter, I'm not too thrilled with, but it's needed to progress the story. You can look forward to more Hitsu/Karin interaction in the coming chapters, as well as a romance for Kon, difficult choices, and the entrance of someone else in Hitsu's life.

And on a completely unrelated note, I caught up with the Bleach manga! What's going on with Ichigo!? Is he a full hollow now or what? I guess we'll find out.


	4. Stalker

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Four_  
Stalker_

"Ichi-nii?"

Her voice sounded so weak and scared to her ears, and she reprimanded herself for sounding so young, but she also knew that she couldn't help it. She was standing in a dark room, surrounded by shadows; the only thing she could see clearly was her brother, barely able to stand, using his long sword for support. His black shinigami robes were ripped, exposing taut flesh that was nevertheless slashed open, rivers of blood cascading down his young skin. He was breathing deeply, as if every breath he was taking might be his last, and Karin knew that he was straddling the line between life and death.

"Ichi-nii!" She called out again. This time her voice was stronger, filled with the determination to help her brother. "Hold on, Ichi-nii!" She ran towards him. "I'm coming, Ichi-nii, hold on!"

He seemed to have heard her. His eyes suddenly filled with determination as he straightened and stared straight ahead, as if he was looking at an invisible opponent.

"Ichi-nii!" Karin called out again. She was getting closer to him.

Ichigo didn't acknowledge her, however. He raised his hand to his head and pulled down a mask Karin hadn't noticed before. It was monstrous: bared teeth and black slashes and hollowed eyes. Karin screamed and stopped running, skidding to a halt and falling to the ground just in front of the monster that had once been her brother. She felt herself shake as she stared up at it. It raised the large sword and opened its jaw to let out an animalistic scream.

"ICHI-NII!"

"KARIN, WAKE UP!"

Karin opened her eyes to find herself on her bedroom floor. The light was on, and she was enveloped between her siblings' bodies. Yuzu was behind her, her arms wrapped around her and her head resting on Karin's back, as if she was trying to pull Karin out of her nightmare. Kon, in Ichigo's body, was in front of her, his large hands on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was his eyes: They were Ichigo's copper eyes, yet they weren't; they were rounder, warmer, and didn't have any darkness lurking just behind the irises.

"What's going on here?" Isshin's voice asked. Karin turned her head to see her father standing in the doorway, a concerned gaze baring down on his three children on the floor.

"Karin was having a nightmare," Yuzu explained. "She was calling out for Ichi-nii, so I got him for her." Karin felt her sister run her fingers through her hair in a comforting gesture. "You guys can go back to sleep," Yuzu said as she continued to brush back Karin's hair. "I'll take care of her."

Karin felt momentarily grateful for her sister. It had been two weeks since Hitsugaya told her to stop repressing her spirit pressure, and while she had tried, she was unsuccessful. She didn't know how to do it, and as a result the pressure around her father – and now even Kon – was getting to be too much for her. Just having them both in the same room made her feel sick from the pressure. Yuzu, however, had very little pressure; the younger girl had a calming effect on Karin.

"Thank you, Yuzu, but Daddy'll take care of her," Isshin said, stepping into the room and picking Karin up easily. Isshin then turned to Kon. "Make Karin something warm to drink," he ordered. Kon stood and glared at the older man briefly before leaving the room and descending the stairs to the kitchen. Isshin then turned to Yuzu and helped her back into bed, pulling the covers up for her. Karin watched as her father brought his hand to Yuzu's forehead and whispered something under his breath. Yuzu's eyes, which had been wide with concern, drifted closed as she fell into a deep sleep.

Karin was speechless as her father carried her out of the room and turned off the light. She kept her eyes on her sleeping sister until Isshin turned and walked down the hallway, and Karin couldn't see her anymore. Isshin carried her down the steps, then set her down on her feet and allowed her to walk into the living room by herself. She collapsed into an armchair, shivering slightly as her father sat in the chair opposite from her. Kon entered a few moments later and handed her a mug of steaming hot chocolate; he had even put a few marshmallows in it.

Karin smiled up at him, wanting to thank him, but the words died in her throat. He seemed to get the message, however. He winked at her, then settled down on the couch, closer to Karin's chair than Isshin's.

"So," Isshin said after Karin had taken a few sips of the hot chocolate. "Tell daddy all about your scary dream."

Karin regarded her father over her drink. Tell the truth or keep up the charade? She was tired of the charade.

"Ichigo's a shinigami," she said, using the present tense to signify that she knew it wasn't just a dream. "He's fighting an enemy I couldn't see. He's…" A flash of the monstrous mask shot through her memory; she wasn't ready to share that aspect with her father yet. "He's not looking so good," she concluded.

Silence settled upon the living room after she finished, but it was soon broken by Isshin laughing; the laugh sounded fake to Karin's ears, and even Kon winced.

"That is some imagination you have, Karin," Isshin said. "But it was only a dream. Something caused by that strange casserole that Yuzu cooked last night, probably. But you know it's not true. Ichigo's right there!" He waved a hand at Kon.

Karin narrowed her eyes at her father. "He's not Ichigo," she snapped.

Isshin's eyes immediately narrowed as he sent an angry glare at Kon, who cowered.

Karin sighed. "I know, Dad, ok? I can see Ichigo in his shinigami form. I've seen him in it before." She paused. "I've seen you."

Isshin regarded her for a few agonizing moments, his dark eyes sizing her up. Finally, he spoke:

"They say I was about eleven when I died and entered the shinigami realm," he said slowly, cautiously. "It's where human souls go after their bodies die. I had a high level of reiatsu – the pressure you probably feel around me and Ichigo. I entered the Shinigami Academy, became a seated officer and eventually became captain of the tenth division. The shinigami are divided into thirteen divisions. Together, we protect human souls from what are known as hollows."

Kon's jaw dropped, and Karin stared at her father, unable to believe that he was finally sharing this information with her.

"Why did you leave?" she asked.

Isshin smiled. "Your mother, of course. It was selfish of me. Shinigami are dead, and we're not supposed to fall in love with the living. Not to mention that I left my division without a captain."

"But you were human. Like, just last year, you were human," Karin said, trying to wrap her head around everything.

Isshin shrugged. "My shinigami powers got weaker the longer I stayed in the human world. At first I just thought that I was out of practice, but I knew something was wrong once I stopped seeing ghosts. I didn't realize that I was completely human until your mother got pregnant with Ichigo. It had never happened before. I'm a walking Lazarus."

Isshin paused, his eyes serious, and, for the first time, Karin noticed just how old her father was beginning to look. "Ichigo was never supposed to become a shinigami," he admitted at last. "I'm not even entirely sure how it happened. All I know is about a year ago, when that _truck_ slammed into our house, I started to feel spirit pressure again. It didn't take me long to realize that it was coming from Ichigo. It reignited my shinigami powers, but very slowly. Eventually, a shinigami friend of mine contacted me and asked if he could train Ichigo. I really had no choice; Ichigo was already gone."

Karin bit her lip nervously. "Where's Ichigo now?"

Her father couldn't look her in the eye. "He's fighting a war he doesn't belong in," he responded at last.

Karin nodded. A part of her had already known the answer. "Dad? I have a high reiatsu, don't I?"

Isshin nodded slowly.

Karin looked at him, determination in her eyes. "How do I become a shinigami like Ichigo?"

Her father merely smirked at her. "You don't," he replied. Karin opened her mouth to protest, but Isshin was already out of the chair and heading toward the stairs to go back to bed. He paused on the first step and glanced at her over his shoulder. "I've already sacrificed one of my children to make amends for the sin I committed twenty years ago. Don't force me to do it again, Karin. I couldn't bear to lose you."

Karin closed her mouth and nodded, watching sadly as her father climbed the steps. She then turned to Kon.

"Do you know how I can control my reiatsu?" she asked. "I don't have to become a shinigami, but I can't stand the headaches anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to black out again."

Kon shook his head. "I don't know a thing about shinigami powers." He paused, his lips twisting into a grin. "But I know someone who does."

"Shiro-freak?" she asked.

Kon's grin widened. "Hitsu-kun!"

- * -

Hitsugaya stepped out onto his apartment's balcony. Dressed only in a pair of shorts as he used a towel to dry his freshly wet-from-the-shower hair, he stared out at Karakura Town, watching the sun creep over the buildings as drops of water fell from his white locks onto his shoulders. It was part of his morning ritual: wake up while it was still dark, train in the forest, come home and shower, then watch the sun light up the sky. It was calming, creating the perfect atmosphere for him to meditate and listen to Hyorinmaru.

'_Here comes trouble,' _the dragon warned suddenly.

"Huh?" Hitsugaya said, quickly turning his head to the side. He was greeted with the sight of Urahara sitting on the side of the balcony, hiding his damn smirk behind his retarded fan.

"Good morning, Hitsugaya Taichou!" the older, elusive shinigami greeted brightly. "You're getting rusty if it took you that long to detect my reiatsu!"

Hitsugaya scowled. "Shut up," he said, rubbing more vigorously at his hair with his towel. "You've always been good at concealing your reiatsu; I always had trouble detecting it until the last minute." He knew it was true – he did always have trouble sensing Urahara – but doubt started to settle in his chest. He had only been stranded in the human world for six weeks, and he trained every day, sometimes twice a day…he couldn't be losing his shinigami abilities yet…could he?

"You're getting taller," Urahara mentioned, getting up from the balcony rail and standing by Hitsugaya, bringing his hand to the top of Hitsugaya's head as though he were measuring him.

"Puberty's a bitch," Hitsugaya replied. He pulled the towel away from his hair, took one last look at what should have been a peaceful morning, then walked back into his apartment. "What do you want?" he snapped as Urahara followed him.

"I need your help with a very important job today, Hitsugaya Taichou," Urahara said.

Hitsugaya threw his towel onto the kitchen counter and started examining the fruit in the fruit bowel, deciding what he wanted for breakfast.

"Sorry," he apologized, selecting a banana. "I work at the Kurosaki clinic. It pays my bills."

"You can miss a day. I think even Isshin will be ok with it once he hears what I need you to do."

Hitsugaya regarded the older shinigami over his breakfast, chewing thoughtfully as he stared at him. "What do you need me to do?" he asked at last.

"Once you see it; you'll understand," Urahara replied unhelpfully.

Hitsugaya sighed and threw his banana peel into the trashcan. "Alright," he consented at last. He walked over to a chair, and sat his gigai down in it before leaving it, standing in front of Urahara in his shinigami form. "Where are we going?"

Urahara grinned. "To the shop of course," he said. He walked out onto the balcony and perched on the rail; Hitsugaya followed him. The morning rush hour traffic flowed beneath them on the street. Urahara turned to send him a smirk. "I trust you can still use Shunpo?" he asked.

Hitsugaya bristled with agitation. "Of course," he said through his teeth.

Urahara's Cheshire cat grin, widened. "Then you better keep up."

And with that, the older shinigami launched himself off of the balcony, touched down into traffic briefly before launching into a Shunpo. Hitsugaya sighed and followed suit, launching quickly into a Shunpo the moment his feet hit the gravel. After a few minutes, he couldn't help but smile; it was exhilarating, using Shunpo during the morning rush hour, catching bits and pieces of conversation and radio stations as he raced against traffic, invisible to everyone.

Urahara had already gone inside by the time Hitsugaya reached the shop. He let himself in and just caught a glimpse of the older shinigami descending into the underground training facility. "What does he want?" Hitsugaya whispered to himself as he followed. He was soon answered: the large space that Urahara used to train was filled with spirits.

"Fuck," Hitsugaya swore under his breath as he stared at the thousands of spirits that surrounded him and Urahara. "No wonder you need my help."

Urahara sighed. "Yes, it seems like every shinigami in the realm is busy fighting. Which leaves me, you, and the Vizard to take care of the normal duties of helping souls cross over."

Hitsugaya immediately looked at Urahara, his blue-green eyes narrowed and his heart pounding in his chest. "How do they cross over when the gate between here and Soul Society is closed?"

Urahara sent Hitsugaya a look that was understanding, causing Hitsugaya to blush; the older shinigami knew how much Hitsugaya longed to return to Soul Society, to join Matsumoto and the others in the fighting.

"The gate is closed for those with strong reiatsus," he explained. "It keeps the Espada from coming here, and me and you from joining the fight." Urahara unsheathed his Zanpaktou and approached a spirit. "But these little guys…" he used his hilt to hit the spirit's forehead, "can still get through."

Hitsugaya sighed and unsheathed his own sword. He started sending souls off to their resting place.

"Likewise," Urahara continued out of nowhere. "Weak hollows can come to the human world." He paused. "I expect one any day now."

Hitsugaya didn't give him the pleasure of a response. He knew Urahara was goading him; it was irritating.

"Come on, Hitsugaya Taichou," Urahara continued. "I know you can feel it just as well as I can. The Kurosaki girl's reiatsu is almost as strong as Ichigo's was when we first started training him. She'll be the first one the dumb hollows will go for."

"They'll be weak hollows," Hitsugaya said at last. He hit his hilt a little harder than necessary on the next spirit's forehead. "Small fries that you or I can handle in our sleep."

"Yes, but when I'm sleeping, I'm so reluctant to get up."

Hitsugaya sighed. "Okay, small fries that I can handle in my sleep!"

"You're being difficult, Hitsugaya Taichou, so let me be blunt: If you don't train her, I will. And we all know how I like to train Kurosakis." Urahara looked to a nearby pit where Hitsugaya had heard he had trained Ichigo, turning him into a mixed hybrid of human, shinigami and hollow. He couldn't imagine Karin going through the same.

"Isshin told me to stay away from her," he said at last, his final attempt at an excuse.

Urahara smirked. "Something tells me that she'll come to you."

- * -

Karin shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, cursing herself for wearing her summer uniform and not bringing a jacket. While it had been a warm and pleasant Spring day, evening had fallen, the sun nothing more than a thin, gold line on the western horizon, and the temperature was dropping and a breeze was picking up. She pulled out the slip of paper that had Hitsugaya's address written on it in Kon's sloppy handwriting; she was on the right street, surely his apartment building was close.

"Hey, cutie! What are you doing out this late without a guardian?"

Karin froze, her blood running cold at the taunt. When she had left school in search of Hitsugaya, she hadn't taken into account that she'd be walking through downtown Karakura Town, in the dark, without an escort.

She turned her head to the side to get a look at her tormentor. There were five of them, and they looked to be in their late teens. One of them had bleached hair.

She quickly hid her fear behind a scowl. "None of your business," she spat. She started walking again, quickly this time, her eyes frantically searching out Hitsugaya's apartment.

"Not so fast, cutie. We're not finished with you." The boy with bleached hair reached out and took a hold of her arm, forcing her to turn around and look at him. Karin didn't waste any time; she immediately kneed him in the groin, then took off running. She darted behind a vending cart, then ran down an alleyway, hoping the boys wouldn't find her. It was a stupid move on her part; it only took the boys a few seconds to appear at the front of the alleyway and trap her.

"No where to run to now, little girl," the bleached boy said. "You'll pay for that move back there."

Karin backed up against the brick wall, trying to get as far from them as possible, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't think she could take all five of them. One, sure. Two, maybe. But five was just too many.

"Fu…fuck off!" she stuttered in an attempt to sound mean. It was the first time she had used the word. While she sometimes repeated swear words in an imitation of her older brother, she always kept them limited to the more polite ones. She hoped the horrible word would have some effect; she was wrong. The older boys laughed.

"Such a dirty word coming from such a pretty mouth," the boy with bleached hair said. His grin widened. "I like that."

Karin felt sick; the boys were only a few feet away from her, approaching her like lions approaching prey.

"Didn't you hear her?" came a familiar voice from above them.

The boys stopped walking and glanced up, but Hitsugaya had already jumped down from a fire escape, landing on his feet between Karin and the group of boys.

He straightened and crossed his arms, his blue-green stare icy. "She said fuck off."

The boys stared at Hitsugaya blankly for a moment, their jaws agape, before they grinned slyly again.

"Who's this?" one of them asked. "Your little boyfriend?"

"No, I'm the guy who's going to kick your ass if you don't get out of here," Hitsugaya replied. His answer caused the group to break out in laughter.

"Go home to your mommy, kid," bleached boy said.

"Not a kid. Never knew my mother. Not leaving," Hitsugaya answered.

The boy with bleached hair raised his fist. "Have it your way," he said. He then punched Hitsugaya, his fist colliding with the side of Hitsugaya's face. The force of the older boy's blow caused Hitsugaya to turn and stumble towards Karin. He brought his hands to the brick wall, supporting himself, one hand on either side of Karin's shoulders, his head bowed from the blow, his face a mere few inches from hers.

Karin was shocked. The blow had been obvious, and Hitsugaya was supposed to be a shinigami. What was he doing taking a hit like that? And then Hitsugaya raised his head and smiled at Karin, and realization dawned on her. He was letting the boys build a false confidence in themselves. He was going to take them down one by one. Karin grinned back at him, and Hitsugaya winked before turning around and delivering a hard upper cut to bleach boy's face.

The force of Hitsugaya's punch was enough for the boy to stumble into a nearby building. His comrades, immediately closed in on Hitsugaya, but the white-haired youth was faster. He squatted down and shot out a leg, using it to knock one boy off his feet. Another boy was approaching him from behind, and Hitsugaya stood and kicked, his foot connecting with the boy's jaw, and Karin swore she saw a tooth fly from the boy's mouth. The other two boys glanced at one another, uncertainty crossing their faces. Hitsugaya took two steps towards them, and they ran off, the other three, injured, boys following them.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Karin complimented as she pushed herself off of the wall and approached Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya shrugged indifferently. "Not really," he said. "Any fight that doesn't require me to go bankai, much less leave my damn gigai isn't worth mentioning." He then turned towards her, a hard look in his eyes. "Why are you following me?" he asked.

Karin bristled. "I'm not a stalker, if that's what you're thinking," she snapped.

"Could have fooled me," he replied coolly. "Does your dad know you're here?"

Karin adverted her eyes. "He thinks I'm at a friend's," she admitted. "It's kind of true," she added in her defense.

Hitsugaya raised a shocked eyebrow. "We're friends now? I buy you some juice and suddenly I'm not Shiro-freak anymore?"

A blush crept up Karin's neck. "Yeah, sorry about that. I…I was having a bad week," she apologized.

"Was it that PMS thing I hear about sometimes? Matsumoto likes to blame her moods on it, but she doesn't menstruate, and won't menstruate unless…" he blushed and cut himself off. "Well, nevermind."

Karin furrowed her brow in confusion. "Who's Matsumoto?"

Hitsugaya sighed, shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and leaned against the wall. "She's my subordinate," he answered.

"Subordinate?"

"Yeah, my vice captain."

Karin's eyes widened in shock. "Vice captain?" she asked. "You're a captain!?"

Hitsugaya grinned. "Youngest captain in Soul Society."

Karin couldn't believe that someone so young could have such a high position. "What division were you?" she asked.

Hitsugaya eyed her curiously, as though he was surprised that she knew that Soul Society had divisions. "Tenth," he answered at last.

"That's the division my dad was captain of!" Karin exclaimed excitedly.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "How do you know…"

"I forced Dad to tell me," Karin interrupted, waving the question off.

The white-haired captain of the tenth grinned. "Bout time he broke down and told you. I've been telling him to do it for weeks!"

"You could have told me too, you know."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but then your dad would have killed me."

"Aren't you already dead?"

He grinned. "Figure of speech," he said before he pushed himself off of the wall and came forward. "I imagine there's a reason why you're stalking me, but before we get to that, I have a very important question."

"Which is?"

There was a long pause in which Karin felt her heart beat nervously.

"Are you hungry?" Hitsugaya asked at last. "Because it's been two hours since I've eaten anything, and apparently that's two hours too long for a pubescent human boy."

Karin grinned. "I'm famished."

- * -

Karin perched on one of the stools by his kitchen counter, her mouth slightly parted and eyes wide in awe as she gazed around his apartment. Without the Ichigo scowl on her face, she looked…kind of cute. Hitsugaya shook his head to stop his mind from going any farther. She was human; it was dangerous to get too close to her. At the very least, Kon and Isshin would kill him.

"Come on, Hitsugaya-kun, get those plates! I'm starving!"

"I'm going; I'm going," Hitsugaya grumbled, opening up a cabinet and pulling out two plates. He handed one to Karin, and she immediately opened one of the take out boxes, using her chop sticks to pour some of the food onto her plate. Hitsugaya cleared his throat as he grabbed a different take out box and helped himself. "And you can call me Toshirou," he added. "Hitsugaya-kun makes me sound like a kid."

"Aren't you?" she asked.

"I'm one hundred and twenty three."

Karin choked a little on her food. "How old is that in shinigami years?" she asked, wide-eyed.

Hitsugaya shrugged. "We don't have a set way of measuring things like that. I guess I'd be about thirteen, though. Remember Rukia?"

"Kuchiki-san?"

"Yeah. She's one hundred and fifty one and is regarded the same age as Ichigo."

"Sixteen?"

"Sure."

Karin scrunched her face in contemplation, chewing her food as she thought. "So you physically age three years over a span of twenty seven years. Which means that in shinigami world…"

"Soul Society," Hitsugaya corrected.

"…it'll take nine years to age a year," Karin finished. She glanced at him then. "So does that mean that Yuzu and I will grow taller than you soon?" she asked with a smirk.

Hitsugaya mimicked her smirk as he pushed some noodles around his plate. "Not while I'm down here," he said. "I'll age like a normal human. Haven't you noticed?" he asked. "Your dad's starting to get a few wrinkles around his eyes; he'd still look about twenty years old if he had stayed in Soul Society."

Karin's face grew somber as she glanced down at her plate. "I have noticed, actually," she said, quietly. "That's kind of why I'm here. I don't want to worry him anymore, which means I'll have to control my reiatsu. You said I should stop rejecting it, which I've been doing, but I still can't control it; I don't know how."

Hitsugaya leaned over his plate as he ate some snap peas and contemplated. "You're probably trying too hard," he said at last. "Your reiatsu is a part of you; you don't have to think too much to get your arm to move, and your reiatsu is the same. You just have to clear your mind. You're already doing it a little bit."

Karin screwed her face up in confusion. "No I'm not," she protested.

"Yes you are. I had to stop living in your house because my reiatsu was too much for you and you were fainting. But you're here now, sitting on a very high stool, eating food and you seem to be ok."

Karin blinked as if she had just realized something. "You know, I don't even have my normal headache."

"See? Right now you're focusing on something other than reiatsu; you're relaxed, so it doesn't hurt as much. All you have to do is learn how to stay in this frame of mind."

"But how…"

"Learn to clear your mind," Hitsugaya cut in. He had finished his dinner, and Karin's plate was empty as well. He took both plates to the sink and rinsed them off. "After awhile, you'll be able to feel your own reiatsu. And once that happens," he turned from the sink to give her an encouraging grin, "I'll be able to teach you how to control it."

Karin's eyes lightened. "So you'll train me?" she asked, excitement evident on her face.

Hitsugaya sighed and ran an agitated hand through his white hair. "Yeah, I'll train you. Your dad will be pissed, but someone has to train you before all hell breaks loose, and if he won't do it, then it's either me or Urahara, and trust me…you don't want Urahara to train you unless you have no other option."

"Who's Urahara?"

Hitsugaya walked over to his closet and threw it open. "He's a genius, but some of his methods are questionable." He paused. "He trained Ichigo," he admitted at last. He reached into his closet and pulled out a hoodie; he tossed the garment to Karin. "I'll walk you home," he said. "You were shivering earlier, so you can wear that."

Karin's eyes widened slightly, as though she was shocked. "Won't you be cold?" she asked, eyeing his thin T-shirt.

Hitsugaya sighed as he led her out of the apartment and down the flight of stairs to the street. "I have an ice Zanpaktou," he explained. "I don't get cold."

"Half the things you say don't make sense to me," Karin whined as they made their way down the street. "What's a Zanpaktou?"

"A sword. You'll learn these things later."

"Will I get one?"

"No."

Karin scowled. "Why not?"

"A Zanpaktou is a shinigami weapon. You have a high level of reiatsu, and you'll probably develop powers that are unique to you, but…you're not a shinigami, Karin."

"How did Ichigo become a shinigami?"

"Illegally."

Karin's face turned serious once more. "Is he ok? Ichigo, I mean. I know he's fighting a war."

Hitsugaya sent her a sideways glance. "He was ok the last time I saw him," he answered. He stopped then. They had reached Karin's street, and Hitsugaya didn't want to get too close to the house and risk Isshin's wrath. "This is as far as I go," he said, nodding towards her street.

Karin nodded. "Thanks for walking me home," she mumbled, splotches of blush erupting over her cheeks like tiny fireworks.

"Don't mention it," Hitsugaya grunted. He turned and began walking away, but a slender hand wrapped around his wrist, holding him back. He turned and sent a questioning look at Karin; her fingers lingered on his wrist. She was still wearing his hoodie, and the sleeves were a little big, falling close to her fingers, the soft cotton rubbing against Hitsugaya's skin.

"When will I see you again?" she asked.

Hitsugaya smirked, gently twisting his wrist to escape her grasp. "Do you ask everyone that?" he asked.

"No, just you."

Hitsugaya blushed, then cursed himself for it. "Soon," he answered. He turned and started to walk away, telling himself not to look back and take one last look at the strong-willed girl. "You'll see me soon."

- * -

"And just where have you been?" Yuzu asked when Karin finally entered the house, her face flushed from the cold and the exhilaration of finally being able to train. Yuzu's brow furrowed as she eyed the hoodie that Karin was still wearing. "And where'd you get the hoodie?" the younger girl asked.

"It's Toshirou's!" Karin said breathlessly. Her heart was pounding; she wanted to tell her twin everything.

"Hitsugaya-kun's?" Yuzu asked, her eyes widening. "Does his parents live in town?"

Karin opened her mouth to tell her that Hitsugaya was actually a shinigami who lived on his own, but she was cut off by their father's voice:

"Karin, can I see you in here, please?"

Karin's face fell. She had forgotten about her father.

"Go on, see what he wants," Yuzu said. "I'll be up in our room. You'll have to tell me everything!" Yuzu's smile was bright; Karin knew that her younger twin had developed a soft spot for the white-haired shinigami. Of course she would want to know everything, and Karin wanted to share it with her.

"Ok, I'll see you in a few minutes," Karin said, waving her sister off as the younger twin climbed the stairs to their room. Karin then entered the living room to see her father sitting in his usual chair, a scowl on his face. Somewhere above them, Kon was listening to music; the bass thumped through the floors.

"I can feel your reiatsu, little girl," Isshin said. "I know you were with Hitsugaya today, and I figure he's going to go against my wishes and train you."

"Dad…" Karin started, ready to protest.

Isshin raised a hand. "I won't stop him," the older man said. "But I'd appreciate if you'd keep this a secret from your sister."

"What? Why? She wouldn't want to be left out in the dark!"

"Karin, Yuzu doesn't have spirit pressure like you and Ichigo do. She'll feel excluded if she knew."

Karin closed her mouth, her protests dying on her lips. "You're right," she said at last. "Yuzu always hated the fact that she couldn't see ghosts like Ichigo and I can. She'd feel horrible if she knew that we have other powers that she didn't."

Isshin stood and patted Karin annoyingly on her head. "So let's keep this on the down low for now, hey kiddo?" he asked.

Karin glared at him. "For now," she consented. She turned and walked up the steps, passing Kon's room and entering her own. Yuzu sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes filled with excitement.

"So you met Hitsugaya-kun tonight? Where does he live? What did you guys talk about?"

Karin stared lugubriously at the sister she loved. "Nothing," she said at last. "We didn't talk about anything."

* * *

**End Author's Note:** I've got a few things to point out, so I think I'll number them.

1) I've had someone point out that most elementary students in Japan don't wear school uniforms. I wasn't aware of this, which is why I had Karin (and Yuzu, though I never specifically stated it) in school uniforms. There are two scenes in the manga where we see the girls at school. The first time is when Kon's on the loose, and we see the girls in their PE uniforms. The second time is when Karin's sick in the school's bathroom, and I honestly can't remember if she was wearing normal clothes or a uniform. Either way, I've decided to keep up the trend of having them wear uniforms for continuity sake. But incase you're confused, here's the lowdown: the girls are 12 in the fic and are in their last year of elementary school. They'll be going to junior high within a few months/chapters. And they wear uniforms. Just because.

2) We know Rukia's 150. Seeing as Ichigo had a birthday and is now 16, I decided to make her 151 (which is also why I decided to make the girls 12 instead of 11). When I was doing the math to figure out how shinigamis age, I used 150 just to make it easier for me, and seeing as Rukia is one of Ichigo's love interests, I decided to make her physically 16 as well. So I took 150 divided by 16 and got roughly 9, which means that it takes 9 years to age one year. So...yeah...that's how I figured that out. However, it doesn't exactly work, because if you take 9 times 13, you get 117, which is slightly younger than the 123 that Hitsu claims to be. Whatever. Shinigami don't pay that much attention to their age anyway.


	5. Breathe

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Five_  
Breathe_

'_Do you ask everyone that?'_

'_No, just you.'_

Hitsugaya caught himself smiling as he remembered Karin's parting words, and he shook his head in an attempt to forget them. Now was definitely not the time to be falling for human girls. He sighed as he reached his apartment. Not wanting to go in just yet, he climbed a fire escape until he reached the roof. The night was cool, the stars in the sky bright, and it was just quiet enough for him to talk to Hyorinmaru – or at least it should have been.

Hitsugaya stepped aside just as Isshin's Zanpaktou slashed down.

"You conceal your reiatsu almost as well as your kids conceal theirs," Hitsugaya quipped, not bothering to turn around to look at the older shinigami. "Which isn't very well at all," he finished. He walked to the other side of the roof, the side that had a good view of the forest in the distance, and sat down on an old sofa that one of his neighbors had dragged up long ago. He felt Isshin draw nearer.

"Aw, Hitsu-kun, you're no fun!" the older shinigami whined.

"If you want a real fight, all you have to do is ask," Hitsugaya answered. "You know I'd love the practice."

He heard Isshin sigh as he came around the couch and plopped down. The Kurosaki patriarch lazily scratched his stomach through his black shinigami robes as he stared out at the forest with Hitsugaya. "Yeah, but you're stronger than me, and I don't feel like getting my assed kicked just yet," he said.

"Then what are you doing out in your shinigami form?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Why do you think?"

"To attempt to beat the crap out of me for agreeing to train your daughter."

The older man smiled warmly. "I don't like the fact that Karin has such a high reiatsu. It's dangerous. But you're right; ignoring it won't protect her. She needs to be trained to conceal it and take care of herself. I'm too rusty, so it might as well be you. Be careful though," he added, giving Hitsugaya a playful wink, "Karin has more of her mother in her than you think; she might steal you away from Soul Society."

Hitsugaya's stomach lurched uncomfortably. "I don't think so," he said, hoping his icy voice would conceal his doubt. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Isshin giving him a smile that looked a bit too understanding. Hitsugaya scowled, forbidding his gigai to blush. Isshin's expression finally turned more serious.

"Yuzu knows you're still in town and that you and Karin have met up again. So it'll be ok if you ever want to stop by the house and see the girls or Kon. Or to see me, seeing as you probably miss me after our long days in the clinic together."

"Don't flatter yourself."

Isshin chuckled, then turned serious once again. "While she knows you're back, she doesn't know what you are, or what Karin's doing. And she still thinks Kon's Ichigo. So let's keep it that way."

"More secrets?" Hitsugaya asked.

Isshin merely stared straight ahead at the forest. "For now," he answered at last. He then stood and walked towards the edge of the building. "Well, I've got a job to do," he said.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in surprise. "What job?"

Isshin turned back and smiled. "Urahara told me to get off my lazy ass and do my shinigami duty and help you two with sending souls to Soul Society."

"And just how did he get you to agree to that?" Hitsugaya asked.

A corner of Isshin's mouth pulled upwards in a smirk. "He threatened to train Karin," he answered before leaping over the edge of the building and launching into a Shunpo, leaving Hitsugaya alone with thoughts of human girls and training…of finally having something worthwhile to do with his time on Earth.

- * -

Karin almost fell out of her seat when she saw him standing on the window ledge, just outside her classroom. He was in his shinigami form, invisible to everyone else, which was good, seeing as their classroom was on the third floor, and the others would find it strange to see a boy standing on the ledge that high up. He was smirking at her, one arm up over his head as he leaned against the glass.

"Karin-chan, what are you looking at?" Yuzu asked. The younger girl sat between Karin and the window. Yuzu turned her head away from Karin in order to look out the window. She stared at it for what seemed like a long time before slowly turning back to face Karin. "Nothing's there," she said.

"Yeah. Sorry, Yuzu, I was just zoning out," Karin explained.

"Hang in there, Karin. The bell will ring soon."

Yuzu went back to working on her homework, and Karin took the opportunity to glare at Hitsugaya, hoping that he would take the hint to go away. His smile grew at her stare, but he did jump down, vanishing from sight and allowing Karin to return to her own homework, though she could no longer concentrate on it. All she could think of was why he was there.

At last, the bell rang and the two sisters gathered their things and walked together down the school halls on their way home. Hitsugaya was nowhere to be seen when they exited the school and walked out onto the street, though Karin could feel his reiatsu, and it was getting closer.

Yuzu linked her arm through Karin's as they walked.

"I miss Hitsugaya-kun," Yuzu sighed. Karin stiffened at the unexpected announcement. She was pretty sure that Yuzu couldn't see shinigami, but it was still weird timing to bring Hitsugaya up.

A chill on the back of Karin's neck told her that the shinigami captain had caught up to them. She casually glanced over her shoulder; sure enough, he was there, just a few steps behind them, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shinigami robes. A blush tinged his cheeks; Karin figured that he had heard what Yuzu admitted.

"Why do you miss him?" Karin snapped. "He's so grumpy."

Yuzu giggled. "That's one of the things I like about him! He's so cute when he's grumpy!"

Karin felt a breeze as Hitsugaya suddenly jumped over them and landed just a few paces in front of them. He walked backwards so that he could face Karin, grinning smugly.

"She thinks I'm cute," he teased as they continued walking.

Seeing as he was invisible to Yuzu, Karin couldn't reprimand him for his comment. She stopped suddenly, causing her younger sister to stop as well and give her a questioning glance.

"Yuzu, I forgot something at school," Karin said.

Yuzu sighed. "Alright, we'll go back."

"No, it's ok. You go on ahead and start making supper. I'll be home soon."

Yuzu pursed her lips together in a pout; she seemed reluctant to leave.

"Alright, but hurry home," she said as she turned and started walking away.

Karin watched her for a moment, then turned and walked down a deserted ally so that she could talk to Hitsugaya. The shinigami followed.

"Alright, what do you want?" Karin snapped once they were alone.

Hitsugaya's eyebrows rose. "I thought I was training you," he said. "I told you that you'd see me soon."

"I didn't think that it would be in your shinigami form and in front of my sister! I hate lying to her."

Hitsugaya's expression softened. "I'll try not to do it again," he apologized. His brow then furrowed. "Are you sure she can't see me?"

Karin crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "She's never been able to see spirits." She paused. "Well, she says she can kind of see them some times. …Why?"

"Her reiatsu's weak, but it's still stronger than a normal human's," Hitsugaya shrugged. "Not by much," he added. He then directed his icy blue eyes directly at her. "Can you sense your own reiatsu yet?"

Karin scowled.

"I take that as a no."

"Well it's not like you're helping me any!"

"There's not much I can do."

Karin scowled some more; he was so infuriating.

"Hey, Kurosaki!"

Karin immediately glanced over Hitsugaya's shoulder to see one of her soccer friends, Puta, standing at the opening of the ally.

"Puta-kun!" Karin said. She was shocked to see him. Hitsugaya stepped aside, his face showing irritation as Puta came closer to Karin. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Puta answered. He leaned against the brick wall. His stance, along with his faux-hawk and narrowed gaze made him seem cooler than what Karin knew him to be. Karin also noticed, much to her embarrassment, that he seemed to be going through a growth spurt: He was at least an inch or two taller, and his hands and feet seemed too big for his still-skinny body.

"It's none of your business what I do in dark allies by myself," Karin answered coolly.

Puta chuckled. "Fair enough," he answered. "You haven't been showing up to practice lately," he added unexpectedly. "Getting too girly to hang out with us guys?"

"In your dreams," Karin scoffed.

"Yeah," Puta sighed. His eyes left her face and dropped slowly downwards, gazing at the rest of her body for an agonizing moment. Hitsugaya, who had looked bored throughout the entire exchange, suddenly tensed.

"So why are you out here, Puta?" Karin asked, wanting to break the awkward moment. "Your home is in the opposite direction."

Puta blushed. "Mom's working late," he said. It was well known that his mother held two jobs to pay the bills. "I was going to get something to eat."

"Come eat at my place; Yuzu always makes too much." The words were out of her mouth before she even realized it. She felt Hitsugaya's glare for a long moment before he jumped and disappeared. Puta, on the other hand, looked relieved.

"You sure it's ok?" he asked.

Karin started walking out of the ally, Puta at her side. "Yeah, it's fine," she said.

"You're awesome, Karin-chan," Puta said, using her first name. Karin was so shocked by it that she hardly noticed that he had thrown his arm around her shoulders as well. They walked down the street like that, looking very much like young sweethearts. Karin didn't know whether she was disgusted…or flattered.

- * -

"Karin's brining a boy home!" Hitsugaya exclaimed urgently, entering Ichigo's room through the window. He was still in his shinigami form. "Hey, Arisawa-kun! Long time, no see," he added as he stepped onto Ichigo's mattress.

Tatsuki was sitting on Ichigo's bed, flipping through a magazine. Kon stood on the other side of the room. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall, looking as though he was trying to stay as physically far away from Tatsuki as possible. They both looked shocked to see Hitsugaya climb unexpectedly through the window in his shinigami form.

"Hitsugaya-kun?" Tatsuki asked as Hitsugaya stepped down from the bed. "You're one of them too?" Hitsugaya had forgotten that she hadn't known that he was a shinigami back when he attended her high school.

"Yeah," Hitsugaya answered simply before sending an urgent glare at Kon. "Didn't you hear me? Karin's bringing a boy home!"

Kon's eyes widened in shock, as if he had just registered what Hitsugaya had said.

"Oh how cute!" Tatsuki gushed. Both boys glared at her.

"I didn't know Karin was dating already," Kon said. He looked worried.

"She's not, but the boy gave her a look that I didn't like."

"Which look?" Kon asked.

"This one." Hitsugaya turned to Tatsuki, who had stood from the bed and was staring at them quizzically. His eyes roved up and down her frame.

"THAT LITTLE BASTARD! I'LL CASTRATE HIM!" Kon exclaimed.

"I don't understand…" Tatsuki started.

"Tatsuki-chan, that's the look guys give when they're undressing girls with their eyes!" Kon explained.

"Oh." Tatsuki said. She then blushed, covered her breasts with one arm and used the other to slap Hitsugaya.

"I wasn't undressing you," Hitsugaya said, though he didn't seem hurt by her slap. He walked over to Ichigo's closet. "Good thing I left my gigai here," he said, throwing it open; his lifeless gigai sat hunched in the closet.

"Oy! Don't store yourself in my closet!" Kon reprimanded.

Hitsugaya ignored him as he stepped into his gigai. He felt the usual disorientation of going from one form to the other, then he opened his eyes to see Kon looking grumpy and Tatsuki looking amazed.

"I'm never going to get used to this sort of stuff," she said, shaking her head.

"Get used to it," Kon said, shoving his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the door. "Your life's just going to keep getting crazier if you hang out with us."

Hitsugaya followed the mod soul down the stairs. Voices drifted up to him before he hit ground level; Karin and her friend were already there and, judging by the sound of it, Isshin was greeting the newcomer in typical Kurosaki Isshin fashion.

"IN ORDER TO CROSS INTO THIS DINING ROOM, YOU MUST FIRST DEFEAT ME! THE DADDY DRAGON!"

"Give it up, old man," Kon scolded. "You're acting retarded."

Isshin opened his mouth to reprimand Kon, but closed it when he caught sight of Hitsugaya and Tatsuki. "Oh, we have more company."

"It's good to see you again, Kurosaki-san," Tatsuki greeted warmly. "You're as loud as ever."

"Tatsuki-kun, you're growing beautifully!" Isshin retaliated. "I'm so glad you still hang around my loser son!"

"Hey!" Kon exclaimed grumpily.

Hitsugaya paid attention to the exchange, though his eyes remained focused on Karin; she returned his stare lividly.

"Guys, dinner's ready. Why are you all…"

Yuzu stopped short when she saw the unexpected guests. Her large eyes soon fell on Hitsugaya, and he attempted to give her a smile.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" the younger twin exclaimed. She rushed forward and, to Hitsugaya's shock, threw her arms around his neck. His left arm wrapped around her back instinctively, and his blue-green gaze sought out Karin over Yuzu's shoulder. The older twin blushed and looked away.

"Well, you heard Yuzu; it's time to eat!" Isshin said. "I don't know how we'll all fit at the table though. Tatsuki, you'll sit on my son's lap!"

Kon and Tatsuki both blushed and grumbled under their breaths that they will do no such thing as they followed Isshin into the dining room.

"And Puta-kun's here too!" Yuzu exclaimed, breaking away from Hitsugaya to grab Puta's hand. "Come on, I'll show you where you'll sit."

Hitsugaya and Karin were left alone in the foyer, and Karin took the opportunity to draw closer to Hitsugaya, her expression hard.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed angrily.

"Eating."

"I didn't invite you!"

"Your father did. And your sister seems to have missed me."

"Still…you shouldn't have…" Karin broke off, her futile arguments dying on her lips.

Hitsugaya grinned. "What's wrong, Karin? Don't want to share me?" He promptly closed his mouth, not knowing what had caused him to say something like that.

"You too, Hitsugaya-kun!" Yuzu exclaimed, rejoining them and taking a hold of Hitsugaya's hand to lead him into the dining room. He followed her and found himself squeezing in between her and Tatsuki at the table. There was no actual chair for him, so he sat half on Tatsuki's chair and half on Yuzu's, his legs brushing against theirs. He was suddenly very aware that his young gigai was definitely entering puberty. He tried not to blush or look too uncomfortable.

Across the table, Kon and Puta sat down. Both boys realized that Karin would be sitting between them, so they scooted over on their chairs to allow her half.

Karin entered the dining room, took one look at the crowded table and scowled. "I'm not feeling well," she stated. "I'll be up in my room."

Hitsugaya watched her go. Puta looked disappointed, and Hitsugaya couldn't help but smile.

- * -

Karin had opened her bedroom window to let the night air in, hoping it would calm her enough for her to meditate and connect with her reiatsu; however, she heard the noise from below and was unable to concentrate. She therefore sat in the middle of her room, cross-legged and gritting her teeth in annoyance.

"Having problems clearing your mind?"

"Go away, Hitsu-kun! I'm in no mood to put up with you!"

"And now I'm Hitsu-kun." He sighed. "I told you; if we're going to be familiar, you can call me Toshirou."

Karin's chest suddenly felt constricted. She remembered the night they ate take-out in his apartment. He had told her then to call him Toshirou, but she was so caught up on his age at the time that it hadn't dawned on her that he was allowing her a familiarization that she barely even had with her closest friends; even 'Puta' was just a nickname.

"I can't help you connect with your reiatsu, but I can help you clear your mind," Hitsugaya said, bringing her out of her thoughts. "I remember some things from my early days at the shinigami academy. There were certain exercises our teachers made us do that helped us clear our minds. …If you want," he added.

"How?" she asked, her shock and annoyance melting away to hope.

Hitsugaya closed the door and turned off the light, causing Karin to fidget uncomfortably. She had never been alone in her room with a boy who was not family, especially not in the dark.

"Stay there; I'm not going to hurt you or anything," Hitsugaya instructed, noticing her fidgeting. He walked over and sat behind her, leaning his back against hers. She could feel his shoulder blades, the warmth of his skin through his T-shirt, and even his heartbeat. "Just concentrate on my breathing. Your mind will clear."

Karin swallowed the saliva that had rushed to her mouth at the physical contact and focused her attention on his breathing. His rib cage expanded and contracted with each breath, and the soft sound of the air entering and leaving his body calmed her nerves. Her breathing soon matched his, her shoulders rising and falling against his own, and her mind grew blissfully blank, as if nothing else existed in the world except her and Hitsugaya.

She sighed and leaned her head back against his, her black hair meshing with his white. He leaned against her in return, and she started to feel the chill of his reiatsu. She could feel the pressure of his reiatsu whenever he was around, but could only feel the chill of it at intervals.

"Hitsu…" she paused and licked her lips. "Toshirou?" she asked, his name rolling off her tongue as easily as Ichigo's or Yuzu's.

"Hmm?"

"Is my reiatsu cold too?"

He didn't answer right away. Karin held her breath, her shoulders pausing as his continued to rise and fall. "No," he answered at last. "Yours is warm."

Karin sighed. "It's no fair that you can feel it but I can't."

She felt Hitsugaya chuckle before he moved away from her. She turned to face him; he had moved himself to lean against her bed instead, his lips twisting into his satisfied smirk.

"So it's warm?" she asked. Her curiosity over her own reiatsu so great that she had to stop herself from asking more questions about it. Hitsugaya seemed to have taken the hint though.

"Yes," he replied. "It's not hot like Matsumoto's; she has a fire sword, so she therefore has a hot reiatsu that burns."

"Does it melt you?" Karin joked.

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

"And Hinamori's reiatsu is cool. Not cold like mine, but cool."

"Who's Hinamori?"

"A friend," he answered simply. "We grew up together." He paused, running a distracted hand through his white locks. "She's a little older than me though." His hand dropped into his lap. "Anyway, her sword is a kidou-based one, airy and whimsical like her. Her reiatsu feels like a breeze."

"Toshirou?"

"Yeah?"

"You said that I won't get a sword."

"Right."

"If I did, though. Like, say, when I die and enter the shinigami academy…"

"It would probably be an Earth sword. Grounded and strong. Swords reflect the personalities of their owners."

"And you think I'm grounded and strong?" Karin scoffed.

Hitsugaya held her gaze. "Don't you?" he asked.

"I…I don't know. I'm only twelve. I don't know who I am yet."

"Maybe that's your problem," Hitsugaya said with a half smile. "You have to know who you are before you can connect with yourself."

Karin groaned. "That'll take ages! I haven't grown into who I'm supposed to be yet!"

Hitsugaya gave her an understanding smile, and, for the first time, he looked mature beyond his years. "Bullshit," he said softly. "Our vices and virtues remain the same since childhood. We're always battling them. Sometimes we get good at controlling them, but they're always there. You just need faith in yourself."

Karin held his gaze, her cheeks burning. The seconds stretched on like minutes, and then Hitsugaya stood.

"I better get back downstairs before someone finds us alone up here. They might jump to conclusions."

Karin scowled. "Yeah, and we wouldn't want that."

Hitsugaya opened the bedroom door, but paused before leaving. He flashed her a grin. "Hey, I do have a reputation of a grumpy loner to keep up. God forbid people find out that I actually like spending time with girls."

Karin couldn't help but laugh. She just caught Hitsugaya's wink before he left the room, closing the door behind him.

- * -

Hitsugaya descended the stairs and walked right into a storm.

"Walk yourself home!"

"It's late; I might get attacked by some their or rapist!"

"You can protect yourself."

"You are no gentleman."

"I know that already. And I'm proud of it."

"I'm not leaving unless someone walks me home!"

Kon's eyes latched onto Hitsugaya. "You going home, Toshirou-kun?" he asked. His voice had an edge to it, and his eyes were narrowed. Kon's face was also flushed, but Hitsugaya didn't know if it was due to him being annoyed or embarrassed. Probably a combination of the two.

"If I say 'yes', will I be walking Arisawa-kun home?" Hitsugaya asked with a scowl.

Kon turned back to Tatsuki. "Toshirou-kun will walk you home," he said.

Tatsuki's eyes shot frantically between Hitsugaya and Kon. "I need someone who could protect me," she tried feebly.

Kon took a step closer to her, his face inches from hers. "I think you and I both know that Hitsugaya can protect you better than I can. You'll be fine," he said very softly, lest Yuzu walked in.

Hitsugaya watched as Tatsuki's shoulders sagged. She was defeated, giving up for the night. "Come on, Hitsugaya-kun," she said. She disappeared into the front room to put on her shoes.

"Idiot," Hitsugaya reprimanded softly as he passed Kon. "She likes you."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Kon replied.

Hitsugaya figured that there was no real need for him to walk Tatsuki home, but she still waited for him to put on his shoes and when they left the house, she pointed to her left. "I live this way," she said. Hitsugaya raised a questioning eyebrow, but followed her nonetheless; it wasn't like he had anything to be rushing home to anyway.

They walked in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Tatsuki finally exploded.

"Dammit! I don't know why I even bother with him!" she exclaimed loudly, throwing her arms up over her head in exasperation.

Hitsugaya smirked. "Yeah, why are you bothering with him? Most people don't."

Tatsuki calmed slightly. "I guess that's why I do bother. He spends so much of his time being Ichigo; I guess I just figured that he'd like someone to know the real him. But he hasn't told me a thing." She paused and bit her lip. "I don't even know his name."

"Kon," Hitsugaya answered. "His name is Kon. Ichigo named him when they met over a year ago. He's a mod soul."

"Mod soul?"

"Shinigami researchers created mod souls with the intention that they'd help us fight hollows. Each mod soul was given a particular strength; Kon's is his legs. He can run faster and jump higher than even me. I imagine he could kill hollows by kicking them."

"Wow," Tatsuki whispered. Hitsugaya glanced over at her; she was staring at the ground, a newfound respect for Kon showing on her face.

"Yeah, well, the problem was that they had also given mod souls personalities. Mod souls could therefore make their own decisions and rebel if they wanted to." Hitsugaya paused. "As soon as the mod souls were created, they were ordered to be destroyed. Kon some how escaped. Ichigo found him and asked our higher ups to spare his life. Kon therefore takes over Ichigo's body while Ichigo is in his shinigami form. It's Kon's way of thanking him."

"That's pretty amazing," Tatsuki said. "Why doesn't he want me to know this?"

Hitsugaya shrugged. "He's afraid of getting too close to humans. Probably because when he's not in Ichigo's body, he…" Hitsugaya stopped himself. Telling Tatsuki that Kon normally existed as a stuffed animal seemed to be crossing some line. "Well, he doesn't have a body exactly," he finished. "We expect Ichigo to come home someday, and when he does, Kon will give up Ichigo's body and then…well, you wouldn't be able to hang out with Kon in public anymore."

"Oh. I guess I understand. It's sad though."

"Sure. Are we close yet?"

"Yeah, it's just around the corner. You can stop walking me now if you want."

Hitsugaya immediately turned and started walking towards downtown Karakura Town.

"Hey, Hitsugaya-kun?" Tatsuki called after him. He turned. "What's your story?" she asked with a smile.

He grinned back. "Ask Kon," he called back. "It only seems fair, seeing as I told you about him. Goodnight, Arisawa-kun."

"Call me Tatsuki!" she shouted after him.

He didn't respond, but he did smile slightly. His walk home was mostly uneventful. He ignored the bums and prostitutes that called out to him as he crossed the seedier parts of town, and his stomach grumbled when he passed restaurants that had their doors open, enticing him with food even though he had just eaten.

He was almost to his apartment when he felt it: a reiatsu, far off and vaguely familiar, though he couldn't match it with a face. It pulsed weakly several times, as though announcing its eventual entrance into Karakura Town. Hitsugaya wondered if he should release his own reiatsu as a signal to the approaching shinigami – for Hitsugaya was almost certain that the being was one of his own – but the fact that the reiatsu wasn't familiar enough for him to know if it was friend or foe made him hesitate, and, when he didn't feel Urahara or Isshin respond to the pulsing reiatsu, he decided to ignore it.

He entered his apartment and tried to sleep. And all the while, the unknown reiatsu continued to pulse.

* * *

**End Author's Note:** Sorry for the little bit of a wait for this chapter. The semester's ending (well, in the final month) so things are getting busy. I hope you enjoyed the chapter though, and I'd love to hear what you guys think of the story so far. Also...any guesses as to who's coming to Karakura Town?

I think there were more inaccuracies that I was supposed to explain in this AN, but I can't remember what they were. Oh well. I need to go grocery shopping.


	6. Seis

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Six_  
Seis_

The stampeding elephants were a dead giveaway that he was in one of Matsumoto's dreams. The bond between captain and vice captain was so strong that they could walk through one another's dreams, and Matsumoto's dreams almost always involved stampeding elephants. Hitsugaya secretly believed that his vice captain had had a traumatizing experience with elephants in her life; maybe that's how she had died. He made a mental note to do research on deaths by elephants while he was trapped in the human world.

"TAICHOU!!! LOOK OUT!!! THE ELEPHANTS ARE COMING!"

Matsumoto appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Hitsugaya's shoulders and pulling him behind some large rocks. Her fingernails dug into his skin, and her eyes were wide in fright. Hitsugaya shrugged out of her grasp.

"Matsumoto, you're dreaming about elephants again," he explained calmly.

She blinked. "I am?"

"Yes."

She stared blankly at him for a few moments before a smile broke out on her face. "Oh that's right! The war's going on. And there aren't any elephants there. Just Espada." Despite her pronouncement, an elephant's trumpet sounded on the other side of the rocks and her eyes widened once again.

Hitsugaya took hold of her shoulders, forcing her to bend down and look him in the eye. "Matsumoto, picture us someplace else. Someplace nice. Preferably an elephant-free zone."

"I'll try, Taichou," she replied. She closed her eyes, and Hitsugaya remained still, his hands lingering on her shoulders as their surroundings melted and blurred and then reshaped into one of the more popular bars in Sereitei. Gin and Kira stood on a small stage in the far corner, drunkenly singing karaoke.

Hitsugaya sighed as he followed Matsumoto to the bar. "Still got a thing for Gin?" he asked as he settled onto the stool next to hers.

Matsumoto glanced over her shoulder towards the stage, her eyes angry, narrow slits. Gin paused from singing to take a drink, but his eyes bulged the moment he brought the cup to his lips and, sputtering, he choked and fell to the floor while Kira and the rest of the bar ignored him. Hitsugaya smiled smugly; he knew Matsumoto's loyalty rested with him.

"On the house," the bartender said gruffly, placing glasses of sake in front of them. Matsumoto had dragged Hitsugaya to a bar before, early in their partnership. He was still too young to drink, even by shinigami standards, but that never mattered. He was served because he was a captain. And seeing as they were currently in a dream, he figured it wouldn't hurt. He picked the glass up and brought it to his lips, fighting the urge to wince as it burned his throat. The second gulp went down smoother.

Matsumoto sent a glance out of the corner of her eye as she sipped her drink. "Something's on your mind," she stated simply.

"I'm pissed off," Hitsugaya said. He set his empty glass onto the counter and signaled the bartender to refill it.

"What else is new?" Matsumoto quipped. She took his hand just as the bartender filled his glass. Her touch surprised him, sending a small jolt down his arm, and it settled uncomfortably in his shoulder. He tensed as he watched her bring his palm against her own, their fingers spread. His hand was as big as hers; it looked huge compared to his skinny arm.

Hitsugaya pulled his hand back and brought both of his hands in front of his face. "Oh God, I'm a freak!" he said, staring at his huge hands, then lowering his gaze to see that his feet were rather large as well. He had known that his shoes were getting tight, but he honestly hadn't realized that his limbs looked so uneven. It was unnerving.

Matsumoto gave an amused chuckle. "My Taichou has hit puberty."

Hitsugaya groaned and reached for his drink, downing it all at once. Lightheadedness settled on him when he set the glass down. He was surprised to feel the effect of alcohol in a dream, though he welcomed it.

"Someone's coming," he blurted without meaning to. "Someone's coming to Karakura Town," he clarified when he noticed Matsumoto's confused gaze. "I can feel the reiatsu, but I can't place it."

"Yuroichi?" Matsumoto suggested.

"Maybe," he mumbled. His glass had refilled itself, and he reached for it, taking another sip to give him the courage to ask what he wanted to know. "Matsumoto?"

"Yes, Taichou?"

"Am I the only one who fell?"

Matsumoto stared at him with heavy eyes. "No," she answered at last.

He sense the shift in her reiatsu; it was loaded with guilt.

"Matsumoto?" he asked, noticing the shimmer along her eye lashes; she was close to tears.

Matsumoto opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, she turned her head to glance over her shoulder.

"They're waking me up," she explained. "It's time for me to get back to the fight." Her hand took his once again; this time she grasped it desperately, as if trying to hold on for one more minute. "Listen, Taichou, I…"

But she didn't get to finish. Matsumoto and their surroundings were suddenly ripped away from Hitsugaya as whoever was waking her pulled her out of her dream. Hitsugaya found himself sitting upright in the bed in his apartment. He was breathing heavily from waking so suddenly, and sweat dripped down his chest. After a few moments, his breathing evened, and he fell back against his pillows, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what was burdening his partner. He regretted not asking her how she was holding up, how the fight was going, which side was winning.

"Fuck," he swore softly. He brought a hand to rub the stress away from his forehead.

It was then that he realized that he could no longer feel the approaching reiatsu. Whoever it was, they were resting.

- * -

He stood at the school gate, waiting to pick them up, just as he had been doing for the past week.

"Go on ahead without us," Karin told him once she reached him. "Yuzu's staying behind to try out for the summer dance team. I'm going to wait with her."

Kon looked shocked at her pronouncement. His bronze eyes – Ichigo's eyes – widened as he glanced over Karin's shoulder to gaze up at the school.

"I didn't know Yuzu danced," he said.

"She mostly just kept it to our bedroom," Karin explained. She brought a hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. Summer was just starting, and already it was too hot for her. She wondered how Hitsugaya was holding up in the heat; it was obvious that he preferred the cold. She wondered if the hot weather was what was keeping him locked in his apartment. She hadn't seen him in almost a week.

"Well, I'll wait too," Kon said. He side stepped her and began walking towards the school.

"You don't need to," Karin complained. "We can take care of ourselves."

"Karin, Karin, Karin," Kon sighed. He threw an arm around her shoulders as he pushed the school door open with his other hand. They were greeted with a wave of cold air. Karin silently thanked whoever invented air conditioning. "I'm honored that you think that I have good intentions to stay here and wait, when I really just want to see cute girls dance."

"Pedophile!" Karin reprimanded.

"Guilty," Kon shrugged. He paused when the hallway branched out, and Karin grabbed his wrist from her shoulder and led him to the gym.

It was a group tryout. The girls all had to remember the same dance routine, and they were to perform it together. The tryout obviously hadn't started yet, seeing as most girls were still stretching and chatting amongst themselves. Yuzu caught sight of them, and she waved happily across the gym. Karin and Kon waved back as they settled in the bleachers. Karin sat cross-legged, propping her chin in her hand, while Kon leaned back and stretched Ichigo's long legs out onto the bleacher in front of him.

Several minutes passed in which they lazily watched the group of girls stretch. A few were practicing some moves. Karin found it incredibly boring, and she was starting to grow hungry.

As if sensing her mood, Kon reached into his schoolbag and pulled out a package of fruit snack gummies. He opened it, popped one into his mouth, then held the bag out for her.

"You're my favorite big brother, Kon," Karin said, half jokingly, as she took a gummy from the bag.

The corner of Kon's mouth twisted into a sad grin. "Don't be so hard on Ichigo," he said. "He's risking his life for you and Yuzu."

"But he'll come back?" Karin asked. She grabbed another gummy.

"Of course he will," Kon replied, though there was an edge of doubt in his voice.

Karin turned on the bleacher so that she was straddling it, one leg on each side, facing Kon so that she could get a good look at him. He was in her brother's body, but he had somehow made it his own. He was more relaxed, his eyes and facial expression warmer than Ichigo's. Karin was surprised that Yuzu could look at him and still see their Ichi-nii. To Karin, Kon was his own person, even though she knew that wasn't entirely true; even though she knew that he was merely borrowing a body.

"Kon?" she asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"Where will you go when Ichigo comes back?"

He glanced quickly at her before shoving several gummies into his mouth, biding time. "Don't worry," he said after a few seconds of chewing, "I'll be around."

Karin bit her lip. "Yes, but…where? Or who, should I say? Do you have your own body lying around somewhere?"

"Don't worry about that," he said softly, though his face was red with embarrassment. "I'll be here, just not in Ichigo's body. Thank God. Your brother's face is not a hit with the ladies, and don't get me started on the hair."

Karin forced herself to giggle. Judging by his responses, the subject was a sensitive one; she hadn't meant to embarrass him.

She was going to drop the subject when another question crossed her mind. "And what about Hitsugaya?" she asked. "Where will he go when Ichigo comes home?"

Kong turned to stare at her, his brows knitted, making him look more like Ichigo momentarily. "Hitsugaya's not human, Karin," he said matter-of-factly. "He had his time on Earth. Now he belongs in Soul Society. He'll go back."

"Dad stayed," Karin said quickly. "He fell in love with Mom and…"

Kon shot her a cheeky grin. "Planning on making Toshirou-kun fall in love with you so that he'll stay?" he asked, nudging her playfully.

"Don't be stupid," Karin shot back. Her cheeks flushed in humiliation, giving her away.

Kon chuckled slightly as he ate a few more gummies. "There is a possibility that if Toshirou-kun stays on Earth too long, he'll become human. But I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. Just enjoy the time you've got left."

Karin straightened on the bleacher and crossed her arms moodily over her chest. "That'll be tough," she said. "I haven't seen him in a week."

Kon shrugged. "He's been busy. Besides helping your dad at the clinic, he's also been helping Urahara train Tatsuki and the others."

"Can't this Urahara person train them on his own?"

"Probably. But…we need all the help we can get."

"What do you mean?"

Kon looked at her again. "Can't you feel it, Karin? Someone's coming."

Karin had noticed an unfamiliar reiatsu, but seeing as no one had said anything, she hadn't thought much of it. "Who's coming?" she asked.

Kon stared straight ahead at the girls getting into formation on the gym floor. He looked right through them. "We don't know," he admitted at last.

"Is that why you've been walking me and Yuzu home lately?" she asked.

"Shh!" Kon said, bringing his finger to his lips. "It's starting. And I'd hate to miss out on 12-year-olds flashing some leg."

Karin sighed in frustration and grabbed the bag of fruit snacks out of his hand. "You're my least favorite brother," she said.

- * -

They were hopeless.

Tatsuki had increased strength and speed, making her an excellent fighter, though she had such trouble controlling her reiatsu that she lost the element of surprise, and even the slowest Hollow would see her coming. Keigo had the same problem, only his powers had manifested into weapons that shot kidou – just like in his video games – and because of this, he could not help himself from shouting things like, _'Die mother effer!'_ every time he approached, which meant if he did ever get his reiatsu under control, he'd still be pathetic. And the third one could control his reiatsu just fine but, seeing as his powers manifested themselves as nothing more than iridescent sparkles that flashed around him…well…he was pretty much useless.

"I dunno. Maybe I'm supposed to blind would-be attackers or something," Mizuiro said. He was standing in front of Hitsugaya, looking down at his sparkly self dubiously.

Hitsugaya sighed, then raised his left arm to block Tatsuki's blow as she jumped out from behind some rocks. He twisted her arm around her back and kicked out, knocking her off her feet and sending her to the dusty ground.

"EAT DIRT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Hitsugaya drew his sword with plenty of time to block the shots of kidou from Keigo's gun. They ricocheted off of his sword and hit Keigo in his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground with a painful gasp. Hitsugaya then turned back to Mizuiro, who was still sparkling dubiously.

"Ok, Hitsugaya-kun, do I burn your retinas if I turn like this?" Mizuiro asked, turning from one side to the other.

Hitsugaya sent a blank stare to Urahara, who was standing off to the side.

"They're not ready," he said to the older shinigami.

Urahara did not reply at first, though his eyes lingered on Tatsuki, the best of the three. "They are getting better, though," he said at last.

Hitsugaya sighed and ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he watched Tatsuki help a whining Keigo to his feet.

"Maybe these sparkles are my weapons, and I just have to learn how to fling them at people?" Mizuiro ruminated by himself.

It was then that they felt it, the increased pressure that meant only one thing. The humans froze as Hitsugaya sent a frantic look to Urahara. The older shinigami's grin widened devilishly.

"I told you a Hollow would come for her," he said.

- * -

"I can't believe I made the team! I wasn't even that good!"

"Shut up, Yuzu, you were fantastic," Karin said through a grin. She had never seen her sister so animated, so excited, in her life.

Yuzu's smile widened as she linked arms with her. "Maybe I'll become as good of a dancer as you are at soccer," she said.

"Probably," Karin encouraged. She liked that her sister finally had a goal in her life that didn't involve taking care of the family.

The two girls were so caught up in their own happiness that it took them a moment to realize that Kon, who had been walking a few steps ahead of them, had stopped. His eyes narrowed as he glared up at the sky. Karin looked up as well, noticing what appeared to be an all too familiar rip in the clouds. The monsters were returning.

"What is it?" Yuzu asked. She was glancing from Karin, to Kon, to the sky, looking for what she couldn't see.

"Ani, what do we do?" Karin asked Kon weakly, calling him brother instead of his given or borrowed names. She felt bad for having to hide the truth about him to Yuzu, even in this danger. Kon, however, remained motionless, as though he was dealing with a moral dilemma.

"Karin, what's going on?" Yuzu's voice was frantic. Several eyes were peering out from the crack in the sky.

"Kon!" Karin gave up, saying his true name, hoping that it would bring him to action. "What are we going to do?"

"Who's Kon?" Yuzu wailed.

Karin ignored her sister's question. Instead she watched, horrified, as the monster, which resembled a spider with long spindly legs, pinchers and numerous eyes, crawled out of the hole in the sky. Karin held onto Yuzu's hand tightly, fear constricting her chest.

"Kon?" she said again, her voice strained.

Kon sighed, setting his shoulders in determination. "I'm sorry, Yuzu," he said. He then turned quickly and kicked, his foot connecting with the younger girl's head, sending her, unconscious, to the ground.

"KON, WHAT THE HELL?" Karin yelled as she knelt down by her sister.

"Yuzu can't see this," Kon explained. His voice was oddly calm considering that the monster was descending upon them from the sky. "Take her and hide," he ordered. He shrugged his school bag off of his shoulders. "I'll protect you."

Karin nodded, her throat going dry as she watched as Kon turned and approached the monster that was still slowly descending from the sky on its web. She tried lifting her sister, but they were the same weight and her fear was making her weaker instead of stronger. She resorted to grabbing Yuzu's hands and dragging her. She glanced around for a hiding place, but they were in a wide open park. There was no where to hide.

She watched, horrified, as the monster cut free from its web and fell to Earth. Kon jumped as it landed. He soared higher than what a normal human could reach, his arms spread and one leg bent as he fell quickly. He landed, hard, on the monster's atrocious mask…the mask that looked very similar to the one that Ichigo wore in her nightmares. Karin closed her eyes against it, bile rising to her throat at the thought that her brother might have a little of these monsters in him.

She opened her eyes again when she heard a loud screech and felt the ground shake from under her. The monster was firing some sort of attack from it's mouth. Each one cut into the Earth like a tiny bomb exploding. Kon dodged them easily and after a few more jumps, he managed to land on the monster's mask once again, this time with enough force to crack it slightly.

The creature screamed out in rage as it threw Kon off. Kon landed hard on his back several yards away.

"Kon, look out!" Karin yelled, but it was too late. The monster had fired another attack at Kon, sending him skidding across the grass, yelling out in pain.

"KON!" Karin screamed. The monster turned its head toward her. "Oh shit," she swore. She glanced down at her helpless sister, then felt a power build up inside of her. No one messed with her siblings and got away with it. She stood in front of Yuzu's unconscious form.

"Come and get me, you bastard!" she screamed. "I'm the one you want!"

The monster heeded her call, rushing towards her on its legs. Karin felt the power radiate around her; it was warm, and it shot through her like electricity, down her torso and into her legs. Without thinking, she kicked. What appeared to be a pink fire ball suddenly shot from her; it hit the monster on its mask.

"About time, Kurosaki!"

Karin was so shocked that it took her a minute to recognize Hitsugaya's voice, and by that time he had already launched himself at the monster, his sword cleanly slashing it in two. It screamed in pain, then disappeared all together. It was too easy for Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya turned and grinned at her. "I can train you now," he said.

Karin merely blinked, not quite believing what had just happened. Four others joined them, and Karin recognized three of them as Ichigo's friends. The fourth was mysterious, dressed in black like Hitsugaya, but with a hat covering his face in shadows. Karin figured that he must have been the Urahara that everyone had told her about; he stared at her, almost as if he was scrutinizing her. It made her uncomfortable.

"Did we get it?" one of Ichigo's guy friends asked. "Did I scare it with my sparkles?"

- * -

Hitsugaya entered the Kurosaki house through Ichigo's window, just like he always did. The bedroom light was on, though a bandaged Kon laid in bed, his eyes drooping sleepily.

"How are you holding up?" Hitsugaya asked, jumping over the bed and landing on the floor so that he wouldn't tousle the mattress and irritate Kon's injuries.

"Not bad," Kon sighed. "Few scrapes and bruises. Busted rib. …Girls like scars, right?"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. _'He saved the girls, be nice to him,'_ he told himself. "Yes, Kon, girls love scars."

Kon's lips twisted into a grin that was both dopey and mischievous at once. "Ever show Matsumoto any of yours?" he asked.

Hitsugaya glared and made his way to the door. "Let the Vicodin kick in, Kon," he said, his hand reaching out to turn out the light. "No one likes talking to you when you're drugged and horny."

He closed the door before Kon could retort. The hallway was dark excluding light creeping up the stairs from the living room.

"Hitsugaya Taichou?"

Hitsugaya turned to his left quickly, surprised that Isshin had called him by his title. After spending a few months on Earth, he was growing unused to hearing it.

Isshin stood in the doorway to the girl's room; he leaned against on the door frame, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Hitsugaya approached him and followed the older shinigami's gaze into the girl's dark bedroom: Karin and Yuzu were fast asleep in the same bed, their hands clasped.

"I told Yuzu," Isshin announced somberly.

"You would have had to tell her eventually," Hitsugaya reasoned.

"Yes. But I had hoped later rather than sooner. Like I said…if you and Matsumoto have children, you'll know how I feel."

Hitsugaya sighed, his cheeks burning furiously. "Why do you keep insinuating that Matsumoto and I will have children?"

"Because I have a bet going with Urahara, and I don't want to lose money," Isshin answered. He sent Hitsugaya a cheeky grin, then closed the door to the girls' room. "Speaking of Urahara, he's downstairs," Isshin continued. "Come down and say hi."

"As if I don't already see him enough already," Hitsugaya grumbled under his breath as he followed.

Urahara stood in the Kurosaki living room, helping himself to a glass of whiskey when Isshin and Hitsugaya entered. He picked up another empty glass and filled it without looking up, then he turned around and handed the second glass of whiskey to Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya stared at the liquor lugubriously, knowing that he was only offered it because of his status – a status he no longer felt like he had. "I'm too young," he said at last, handing it back to Urahara.

Urahara walked away without taking the drink from him. "You're a captain," he said. "You've earned the right to drink."

Isshin had already settled in his favorite chair, and Urahara was sitting down on one end of the couch. Glass in hand, Hitsugaya joined him on the other end. "I'm a captain stuck on Earth," he grumbled. He set the glass of whiskey on the coffee table in front of him.

To his surprise, both Isshin and Urahara laughed.

"What's so…"

"Join the club, Hitsugaya," Isshin explained. "We're stranded captains too."

Hitsugaya blushed; he had forgotten. Urahara had left Soul Society long before Hitsugaya had even entered the Shinigami Academy, and while he had heard about Isshin when he was in the Academy, he had never seen him as a captain. Back then Isshin had even gone by a different name; the captain of the tenth when Hitsugaya was in the academy had been…

Hitsugaya looked up, quirking an eyebrow at Isshin. "Does Ichigo know?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Know what?" Isshin retorted.

"That you're one of us."

Isshin's mouth formed a thin, dissatisfied line. "No. Kon and the girls do though."

Urahara's grin widened in amusement.

"I see," Hitsugaya said. He reached out for his drink and took a sip. "So Ichigo doesn't know who you really are…Shiba Isshin."

Isshin groaned audibly as Urahara cackled.

"I told you he'd figure you out, Shiba!" Urahara said, pointing.

Isshin ran a frustrated hand over his face. "I had to change my last name!" he explained. "I didn't want anyone to find me or my family! And it's a good thing I did too! Can you imagine what old Yama would do if he knew that his marvelous human boy was a Shiba? They'd kill him and force him to Soul Society."

"Don't worry; I won't tell your secret," Hitsugaya assured. "I could care less about the noble families dying out."

Isshin shrugged. "I know two are gone, but they've still got Kuchiki. And my two brothers."

Hitsugaya paused, his drink halfway to his lips; Isshin didn't know that Kaien was dead. He was just about to tell Isshin when the familiar, yet unknown, reiatsu flared to life. The shinigami was entering the city.

"It's so familiar, yet none of us can place it," Urahara mentioned, his head leaned back against the couch as he lazily stared up at the ceiling.

"I'm almost certain he or she is one of us," Hitsugaya said. "Matsumoto told me that I'm not the only one who fell."

Both Urahara and Isshin gazed at Hitsugaya with confused, narrowed eyes. "When did you talk to Matsumoto?" Isshin asked.

"We dream walked the other night," Hitsugaya said, waving it off. "You guys were captains, you know how it is."

"Not really," Isshin admitted. "I was locked out of my vice captain's dreams."

"And I've never heard of it happening when one is in Soul Society and the other on Earth," Urahara added. "You and Matsumoto must have one of the strongest bonds between captain and vice captain in Soul Society history!"

Hitsugaya blushed; he hadn't realized that he and Matsumoto were closer than the average captain and vice captain.

"They're goooing to the chapel and they're….gonna get maarrrriied," Isshin sang.

"Shut up!" Hitsugaya said. He stood from the couch and made his way to the door.

"Where you going?" Isshin called after him.

"Well the shinigami's in town now," Hitsugaya explained. "Might as well greet him or her."

"Let us know if you need us," Isshin said as Hitsugaya left.

Hitsugaya flared his reiatsu slightly to let the older shinigami know that he had heard him, then he took off walking down the street, his hands shoved in his pockets as his mind reeled with everything he had learned: Isshin was a Shiba, which meant that Ichigo was also of noble blood. Which would be good news if the human teenager died young and could continue the Shiba line in Soul Society. But Ichigo looked like he'd live to be 102, even with all the fighting, so there was little chance of that happening. Kuchiki would never marry again, and Rukia wasn't noble by birth…that line would end. Which meant that Soul Society would need a new batch of nobles…and if he and Matsumoto had such a strong relationship…

He shook his head furiously to rid himself of the idea. Matsumoto saw him as a child, and, really, he was too young to contemplate procreating anyway. He sighed as he reached a clearing in a park; the same park where they had defeated the Hollow just that afternoon. The shinigami was there, though hiding.

"I came all the way out here to greet you," Hitsugaya said loudly. "The least you could do is show yourself."

A childish giggle sounded from behind him. He spun around quickly, his eyes widening in shock. Her short, pink hair was swept to the side with brightly colored hair clips. She wore tennis shoes, multi-colored knee socks, a short, navy blue skirt, and several different colored and clashing tank tops.

"You've grown," she commented in her high pitched voice. "Hitsugaya Taichou-chan!"

"…Yachiru."

* * *

**End Author's Note:** I just finished this chapter. I feel as though I should really get some sleep, then proofread it again in the morning before posting it, but I also feel so bad that it's taken so long to get this up, so I'm posting it now as a sort of apology. I do apologize for the wait though. I typed this chapter up, but I didn't like what I had, so I had to rewrite it. This version is much better than what I had at first, though there's not much romance in this chapter. Still, it's moving the plot forward, which is needed. Also, I named this chapter Seis (which is 6 in Spanish) because I like the way it sounds...it sounds...sexy. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll try to have the next one up ASAP.


	7. Goodbye

**Usted Está Aquí**_  
By Stalk Me_

- * -

Chapter Seven_  
Kiss Goodbye_

"YYYOUCH!"

Hitsugaya relinquished his hold on the carton of ice cream and recoiled in pain. It was well past midnight, yet he and Yachiru were still up, mostly because Yachiru had insisted upon buying and consuming sweets, which caused her to go on a sugar high. Hitsugaya had tried to take the sugar away from her, but doing so only resulted in Yachiru retaliating against him by latching her teeth onto a tender part of his neck. She pulled back once he lost his grip on the ice cream, leaving in her wake a wet spot on his neck that cooled in the air. Hitsugaya brought his hand to his neck and wiped away her spit before massaging his aching skin.

"Damnit, Yachiru, you can't just bite people while you're down here!" he scolded. He turned and rushed to his bathroom, turning on the light and examining his neck in the mirror: a mark was already forming. "Oh great! You broke the skin! People will think I have a hickey!" He frowned; he wouldn't be able to leave his apartment until the mark disappeared; he didn't think he'd be able to tolerate any teasing. He'd have to call Kon and tell him to start training Karin without him.

"Well, technically you do have a hickey," Yachiru's voice called after him. "I mean, I did use my mouth and everything. You can tell people that we were making out if you want. Save your manly pride."

Scowling, Hitsugaya turned out the bathroom light and exited, narrowing his eyes contemplatively at Yachiru. She had opened the ice cream up and was perched on the counter, licking a spoon happily. They had only been together for a few hours, yet Hitsugaya was already beginning to realize that he wasn't the only one who had grown during their time on Earth. Unlike him, however, Yachiru's growth was more internal. True it appeared that she had grown slightly taller, her pink locks a little longer, but it was her attitude that had changed the most. A part of her was the same Yachiru he remembered from Soul Society: the carefree child who had been raised amongst violence and blood, yet was always protected by Zaraki. But another side of her was beginning to show, as if she had discovered a latent femininity that had been suppressed in the predominantly male 11th division. She was exploring her burgeoning sexuality, and that scared the shit out of Hitsugaya.

"I have half a mind to make you live on your own," Hitsugaya grumbled as he walked across his apartment, furiously collecting leftover candy wrappers.

Yachiru looked up from her ice cream, her eyes wide and almost fearful.

"You're not going to though, right?" she asked.

"What does it matter to you? You've spent months living on your own already," Hitsugaya retaliated. He dumped an armful of wrappers into the trashcan, then swore furiously when he stepped on some half-melted chocolate. He hopped, one-footed, over to the kitchen sink and grabbed a towel to wipe the chocolate off.

"Yeah," Yachiru said somberly. "But I was lonely. You at least had the Kurosakis."

He glanced up at her, noting how sad she looked, then sighed and tossed the towel onto the counter.

"You can stay," he said quietly. He walked past her and opened the door to the balcony. "Just don't piss me off too much," he added, ducking out of the apartment before she could reply. He closed the balcony door again, and breathed in deeply to calm his agitated nerves. A warm breeze ruffled his hair and carried the sound of adults barhopping several blocks away to his ears. He wished that he looked old enough to get inebriated with them; he welcomed any form of escape. However, he was no longer in Soul Society, and he knew that he would not be served at any bar, so he climbed the fire escape to the roof and collapsed onto the couch, one leg hanging off the side of it as he gazed up at the sky. He could barely see the stars due to the city lights, yet he stared up at Heaven anyway, wondering how the war was coming.

His thoughts about the war inevitably led him to Matsumoto. He knew that she was one of the best fighters in Soul Society and that he shouldn't worry about her, but he did. He didn't want her hurt; he couldn't imagine anyone else as his vice captain, no matter how lax she was about paperwork.

'_You want her as a vice captain, sure. But do you want her as anything more?'_ Hyorinmaru asked.

Hitsugaya scowled at the dragon's question.

'_Well? Do you?'_ the dragon pressed.

Hitsugaya half wanted to tell Hyorinmaru that it was none of his business, but he knew that it was the dragon's job to force Hitsugaya to examine all the corners of his psyche.

'_Matsumoto's one of my best friends,'_ Hitsugaya conceded.

'_Just a best friend?'_

The dragon's question was almost taunting, and Hitsugaya gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew Matsumoto was gorgeous; he had eyes after all. And, if he was completely honest with himself, he was attracted to her. While he had always stood up for her honor and told guys who were catcalling her to shut up, he had caught himself staring at her on more than one occasion. He never stared for longer than a few moments, and he never fantasized about her, but he did recognize that she was very beautiful. But he couldn't imagine having children with her. He had no desire to marry her and father her children, the much needed heirs to Soul Society's nobility. He loved her. He was attracted to her. But he wasn't in love with her. And he was sure that he never would be. As a matter of fact, the only girl he could see himself having children with was…

Hitsugaya scowled. "Fucking puberty," he swore as he brought a hand to rub the imagine of Karin Kurosaki from his eyes. He told himself that she was human and that it was dangerous to get too close to her, yet the image of her bearing his children persisted. He saw himself with her as grown adults, with a house and a mortgage, their reiatsus weak and powers gone. The thought scared him.

'_I don't want this! I don't want this!'_ he thought fervently, his knuckles kneading at his eyes.

As if answering his prayers, Hyorinmaru overtook him, causing him to lapse into a deep sleep, where he dreamed of nothing. When he opened his eyes again, it was morning.

'_You're welcome,'_ Hyorinmaru said as Hitsugaya sat up, blinking against the early morning sunshine.

He stretched and got up, descending the fire escape until he came to his apartment's balcony. He opened the door and entered his apartment; he was surprised to see Yachiru up. She was dressed in shorts and a tank top, her pink hair pulled back into a ponytail as she swept up the mess of wrappers.

"I made breakfast," she said quietly, nodding to the counter where a plate of onigiri awaited him. Hitsugaya felt his jaw drop as he slowly approached the counter and sat down.

"Thanks," he said at last, picking up an onigiri and taking a bite. He turned towards Yachiru and gave her a slight smile. She seemed to relax, and she sent him a smile of her own before returning to work.

- * -

The ground felt harder than she remembered as she fell on her back and her breath left her lungs, causing her to choke. Tiny rocks on the training room floor dug into her shoulder blades, and her fall had caused a small cloud of dust to rise up around her, making it even more difficult for her to catch her breath.

"You're _not trying_, Karin-kun," Kon reprimanded fiercely.

Karin blinked as the dust settled and revealed her adoptive brother glaring down at her, his arms crossed in front of his bare chest. The scowl on his face made him look alarmingly like Ichigo, and Karin felt her shame and embarrassment flush to her cheeks; she didn't want to let her brother down – either of them.

Kon offered his hand to help her up, but Karin scrambled to her feet on her own; it was her futile attempt to show Kon that she was capable.

"You're just so fast," she mumbled. She knew she shouldn't make excuses, but she also couldn't help herself. "I can barely connect to my reiatsu and get the power to come before you're knocking me off my feet."

"I'm going easy on you," Kon said. He had crossed his arms once again and was gazing at her with a knitted brow, but his voice was soft and warm. "Hollows won't."

"I know; I _know_!" Karin reached into her pocket and took out a hair tie; she hadn't cut her hair in months, and the long locks continuously fell into her face. She furiously pulled them back and tied her hair into a ponytail. "Let's do it again!" she said fiercely.

Kon regarded her, his eyes scrutinizing. "You need to calm down first, young lady," he said. "Connect with your reiatsu and be aware of your surroundings. We're not the only ones down here, you know."

"I know that Urahara and the others are training behind us! I can hear Keigo-san cursing!" Karin said hastily. She opened her mouth to continue her tirade, but her voice died in her throat when she felt a sudden blast of chill and a long sword swiped the air in front of her, causing her to take a step back, her body bumping against someone else.

"Too slow, Karin," Hitsugaya's voice said, just by her ear. His free arm had wrapped around her waist as she had stepped into him and the embrace made her heart and brain momentarily stop. "If I were a Hollow, you'd be dead by now."

Karin quickly stepped away from him, turning to narrow her eyes at his trick. His shinigami sword – Zanpaktou, he had called it – was out, but he was not in the traditional shinigami robes; instead, he was dressed in normal clothes.

"I didn't know you could take your sword out without being in your shinigami form," Karin stated.

He shrugged. "You're not ready for me to go against you in my shinigami form." He paused. "Hell, _they're_ not ready to go against me, and they've been training longer than you have," he added, jerking his head at the others. Karin glanced over his shoulder to see Tatsuki send Keigo to the ground with one kick while Mizuiro stood to the side and sparkled uselessly.

"It's about time you showed up to one of Karin's training sessions!" Kon scolded Hitsugaya. "You know I don't know much about this power crap. I can only fight."

Hitsugaya sheathed his sword. "I was a bit preoccupied," he said, glancing over his shoulder. Karin followed his gaze to see a young but pretty, pink-haired girl talking animatedly with Urahara. She was dressed in brightly colored clothes: pink combat boots, lime green, fishnet stockings, a short, black skirt and tight, white tank top while numerous bracelets, necklaces and headbands adorned her; she almost looked like a girl fresh out of Harajuku.

"Who is she?" Karin asked softly.

Hitsugaya caught her eye as he replied: "Yachiru-Fukutaichou. Vice captain of the 11th division of Soul Society." He paused, his gaze shifting away uncomfortably. "And my new roommate."

Karin's stomach twisted uncomfortably as a heat crept up her neck. She glanced back at the girl; she was young, but pretty, and the fact that she was a vice captain meant that she was talented. Karin suddenly felt very insignificant. She turned away from Yachiru and caught Hitsugaya's eye once again. His usual scowl was gone as he gazed at her with round, thoughtful eyes; Karin almost swore that she saw longing in the turquoise irises.

For some reason, it irritated her. Her life before all of this shinigami business had been so easy and stress-free, and now she found herself worrying over a lost brother, loving a perverted adoptive brother who most likely wasn't even human, falling for a guy who definitely wasn't human, and being jealous over a dead girl who could dress and fight better than her.

Without even realizing it, Karin's spirit pressure zipped down her spine and into her legs and she kicked in her frustration, sending a small explosion of pink reiatsu right at Hitsugaya. His sword was out within seconds, deflecting the blow; it illuminated his face in pinks as he sent her a satisfied smirk.

"That's right, Karin," he taunted. "Show me what you've got!"

- * -

Hitsugaya knew that he didn't need to walk her home; Kon was following them and the mod soul was more than capable of protecting Karin from any human scum lurking around the darkening corners of the city as the sun set. However, Tatsuki was walking right next to Kon, and one glance at their interlocked fingers told Hitsugaya that the older boy would be distracted all the way home. Therefore, once the training session was over, Hitsugaya followed Karin as she made her way back to the Kurosaki clinic. Yachiru walked alongside Hitsugaya obediently, not even bothering to complain or to ask why they were making such a detour.

"So," Karin said after several minutes of heavy silence. She shot a heated glance behind her as she walked ahead of Hitsugaya and Yachiru. "You guys are living with each other now?"

Normally, Hitsugaya would have answered with a grunt, not bothering to explain himself; however, he felt as though Karin deserved an explanation.

"She has no where else to go," he said.

"Can't she stay with Urahara?"

"Would _you_ want to stay with Urahara?" Yachiru asked in exasperation. "And don't talk about me as if I'm not here!"

Karin shut her mouth, though her eyes shot daggers over her shoulder at Yachiru. "You only have one bed, Toshirou," Karin said at last.

Yachiru gave a low chuckle. "Young human girls amuse me," she said.

Karin stopped and turned around, her eyes narrowed and hands on her hips. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Hitsugaya stopped as well, his eyes shooting from Karin to Yachiru in alarm as the two girls glared at each other. Yachiru's smile pulled up into a particularly sinister grin.

"I'm not the first girl that Hitsugaya-Taichou has slept with," she said. Karin winced as if punched, then looked at Hitsugaya with wide, hurt-filled eyes.

"Damnit, Yachiru, don't say it like that!" Hitsugaya reprimanded, bringing his hand over the younger shinigami's mouth.

"Don't say it like that?" Karin repeated softly. "So it's true?"

Hitsugaya sent Karin a pleading look. "I grew up with Hinamori," he explained. "We _literally_ slept together. We weren't even in the same…" but his sentence broke off as Yachiru bit his hand.

"Don't put your hand over my mouth like I'm some child!" the pink-haired shinigami demanded. She jumped onto his back and started biting his hair, and he backed her into a nearby wall, crushing the air out of her until she became limp against him; then he stepped away from the wall just enough for her to breathe, though she was still trapped between his body and the wall, prohibiting her from doing anymore damage. Karin, however, was still looking at him with round eyes that betrayed feelings of anger and hurt.

"Karin, listen…" he started, but he paused, not knowing what he wanted to say. Karin remained excruciatingly silent.

"What's going on?" Kon asked, suddenly appearing beside them, his eyes curious as he looked at the three. Hitsugaya vaguely realized that they were in Tatsuki's neighborhood and that the mod soul must have walked her home while they had been fighting. Upon closer inspection, Hitsugaya noticed that Kon's lips were pink and swollen.

Karin's eyes rounded upon Kon pleadingly. "Take me home," she demanded. Kon opened his mouth as if to protest, but Karin stepped forward and grabbed his hand, tugging his arm urgently. "Please, Kon-nii, take me home."

She had said the magic words. Kon's stance relaxed as he wrapped an arm around Karin's shoulders. He glared at Hitsugaya as they passed. "I'll talk to ya later," he said, though it sounded like a threat instead of a goodbye.

Hitsugaya breathed heavily as he watched the two walk down the sidewalk and disappear around a corner. For a moment, he stood still and gazed up at the sky, his heart beating furiously against his rib cage.

"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya-Taichou," came a soft voice from behind him. He became aware that he was still pressing Yachiru up against the wall. She was relaxed against his back, her head resting on his shoulder.

He spun around furiously so that he could face her, his arms coming up on either side of her, prohibiting her from escaping as he leaned forward, his face a mere few centimeters from hers.

"Why did you do that?" he snapped.

Yachiru did not flinch at his tone; she looked up at him defiantly, though Hitsugaya detected concern behind her startling pink irises.

"I had to," she said in a low, harsh voice. "I've seen the way you look at her!"

Taken aback at her implication, Hitsugaya felt his face flush, though his anger only increased with the embarrassment. "I'll look at her anyway I want to."

Yachiru's gaze softened slightly as she reached up to him, her hands lightly skimming over his cheeks before her fingers glided through his hair. Hitsugaya felt a sharp pain in his scalp as she plucked a strand of his hair. She withdrew her hands and held the strand of hair in front of his face. Even in the darkness, Hitsugaya could see that the hair was black and not white. He stared at it incredulously for a second before Yachiru placed it in his hand.

"Your eyes are a darker blue than what they were in Soul Society too," she whispered. Her fingers clutched gently at the front of his shirt, as if she was trying to hold onto his shinigami abilities. "When was the last time you used bankai?"

Hitsugaya turned his hand over, allowing the strand of dark hair to fall to the ground. "Since before I was stuck here," he said at last. "I train everyday, but it's hard to really force yourself to train when you have no partner, and no one here is powerful enough to go against my bankai. …Well, maybe Urahara, but he'd never train with me."

Yachiru's grip on his shirt tightened as she stood on her tip toes and leaned forward, her lips against Hitsugaya's ear.

"I can use bankai," she whispered. "Don't worry, Hitsugaya-Taichou; I'll save you."

- * -

"Did you and Hitsugaya-kun get into a fight?" Yuzu asked later that night as the two girls got ready for bed in their room.

Karin raised a shocked eyebrow at her sister. "Why do you automatically think that it's Hitsugaya who I'm upset at?"

"Karin, come on!" Yuzu replied, gracing Karen with an exasperated look. "We're twins. I know you better than anyone." She paused, her face softening. "What did Hitsu-kun do?"

Karin sighed and shook her head. "It's stupid."

Yuzu sat next to Karin on her bed and placed her arm around her. "No it isn't. Tell me."

Karin turned away from her sister; she glanced out of the window, staring into the night and wondering what Hitsugaya was doing across town. Was he with Yachiru? Were they asleep in the same bed?

"Hitsugaya got a roommate," she admitted at last.

"And?" Yuzu asked after a few moments of silence. "She's a girl, right?"

Karin turned to her, shocked. "How did you…?"

Yuzu rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't be upset if Hitsugaya had Keigo-san or someone living with him." She paused and glanced down at her knees, a blush crossing her cheeks. "I know you like him, Karin-chan. You guys fought because you're jealous of his new roommate, right?"

Karin sighed and fell back against the pillows. "She looks younger than us, but not by much. She'll probably hit puberty soon and get fantastic legs and boobs, and she already dresses awesome, and she's the vice captain of some division in soul society, and she has _pink hair_, and…"

Karin stopped when she heard her sister giggling.

"Yuzu, it's not funny!"

Karin made to sit back up, but Yuzu brought her hands to Karin's shoulders and forced her back down. "We've already hit puberty," Yuzu reminded her. "Our legs are growing longer everyday and we'll be out of our training bras soon. Dad gives us a good allowance, so if you're that upset about your clothes, we'll go shopping and buy some new stuff. _You_ have an awesome power that you get better at everyday. And if you really want pink hair that badly, dad will probably dye it for you himself! In short, this new girl has nothing on you!"

Yuzu stood up from Karin's bed, a bounce in her step as she walked over to the window and opened it. "Go talk to him," she ordered, pointing out of the window.

Karin sat up, her eyes wide in shock. "What?"

"You heard me! Hitsu-kun spends more time staring at you than he does scowling at Kon and Dad, and that's saying something! He _likes_ you, Karin-chan! And you like him too. The only problem is that you're both too damn stubborn to admit it. So climb out of this window, go to his apartment and tell him before I do it for you!"

"But," Karin hedged. "What if Dad does one of his insane middle of the night child headcounts?"

Yuzu rolled her eyes. "I'll cover for you," she said quickly. "Besides, Kon's been sneaking out to see Tatsuki for the past week!"

Karin's jaw dropped, and Yuzu grinned slyly. "It's my job to keep tabs on you guys," the younger girl explained. "Now…" She pointed out of the window again. "Go! If you don't, I will, and _I_ don't have superpowers to protect me from drunk perverts on the street."

Karin jumped from her bed and engulfed her sister in a hug. "Thank you, Yuzu-onee," she said.

Yuzu pulled away; she was smiling, though she still managed to look slightly sad. "Go," she said again. "I'll stuff pillows under your blanket."

- * -

Karin used the fire escape to climb up to his balcony. Once she reached it, she paused. Surely he would lock his balcony door at night; would she have to knock and wake both of them up just to stuttered over sentences she hadn't planned out yet? She held her breath and raised her fist to knock, then changed her mind at the last minute and attempted to open the door first; she was surprised when it slid easily open. Apparently, shinigami didn't need locks to protect them from humans.

Karin quietly entered the dark apartment, moving slowly as she walked over to his bed. She frowned when she only found the pink hair of Yachiru's head lying on the pillows.

"Please don't kill her," came a quiet, male voice from across the room. Karin spun quickly, her eyes latching onto Hitsugaya, who was lying on the couch, a thin blanket draped over his lower half. He smiled and sat up, drawing his knees to his chest, his bare arms (for he was wearing a tank top) wrapped around his legs, and Karin found herself fixated on his biceps that were already forming.

"Zaraki will kill me if I let her die," Hitsugaya continued, his lips twisting up into a grin.

Karin didn't know who Zaraki was, but she figured he must be intimidating and probably connected to Yachiru some how. She decided to ignore it as she walked over to the couch and sat on the edge of it, facing Hitsugaya. She was so close to him that she could feel his body heat. He leaned forward, a slight, inquisitive smile on his face as he did so.

"I'm sorry for how I acted earlier," Karin said at last.

"Don't worry about it," Hitsugaya started, though Karin cut him off before he could continue:

"I was jealous," she admitted.

Hitsugaya's mouth opened slightly, his eyes round as he stared at her in shock. Karin felt her face burn furiously as she blushed. Her chest felt constricted, making it hard for her to breathe, but she couldn't stop talking; she had to tell him. She glanced down at her hands folded in her lap, unable to look him in the eye as she admitted her feelings.

"I like you. A lot, actually. And I know I shouldn't. I know you're dead and that you're over a hundred years old and that any day now, my brother will come home and that war will be over and you'll go back to Soul Society. But I still like you. And when I'm with you, I feel strong and…and pretty. And when I found out that Yachiru was staying with you, I got jealous because…" she paused and took a breath, "…because I just want you to be with me."

She looked at him then, holding her breath as she examined his face.

"I…can't," he said at last, in a whisper.

Karin felt as if her heart had momentarily stopped working. She choked slightly on her own breath, shut her mouth and nodded quickly as her eyes stung. She stood up without saying another word and made her way over to the balcony. She was almost there when she felt a strong hand circle her wrist and hold her back. She stopped walking, but did not turn around to face him; she didn't want him to know that there were tears in her eyes; she figured he's just think that she was just another silly little human girl if he saw them.

"I didn't say that the feeling's not mutual," he said softly, and Karin noticed a husky edge in his voice. She turned and glanced up at him, hope rising in her chest as he took a step closer to her. His left hand remained around her wrist as he brought his right hand up to her face and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, slowly, as if he wasn't quite sure how to do it. His fingers lightly traced the outer shell of her ear before trailing down her neck and across her shoulder. When his hand reached her upper arm, a thin line of frost followed Hitsugaya's finger as he made designs on her arm. The cold melting against her skin caused a warmth to spread in the pit of her stomach.

"My hair's turning black," Hitsugaya said at last. "My eyes are getting darker too. Sometimes it's hard for me to leave my gigai. You're turning me human, Karin."

Karin looked up, her lips slightly parted in disbelief. She attempted to apologize, but he cut her off, covering her mouth with his own. Her eyes widened when she felt his lips press softly against hers, but then she relaxed, leaning forward and allowing him to wrap his arms around her. She found herself surrounded by his reiatsu and his scent and, when his tongue slipped momentarily between her lips, she could taste him as well. And then he pulled back, his breath coming in ragged gasps, though he was smiling.

"C'mon," he said, holding out his hand to her. "I'll take you home."

She accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her down to the street. Together, they made their way through the dark city, their fingers intertwined as they walked silently. Karin had a million questions floating in her mind, but she was afraid of the answers and therefore kept her mouth shut until they had reached the front step of the Kurosaki clinic. She turned towards him then, taking in his sad expression.

"I'm not going to see you anytime soon, am I?" she asked.

Hitsugaya didn't answer her. He smiled sadly and kissed her quickly before turning and walking away. Karin knew that when she awoke the next morning, she would not be able to feel his reiatsu; he'd be too far away.

* * *

**Authors Note:** Sorry about earlier! I had uploaded the right chapter, but I hadn't deleted chapter six from the document manager, then I made the mistake of naming both files the same thing, so it posted chapter six again! Sorry, sorry! Anywho, this is the right chapter, and I have to apologize for how long it took to get this up! But never fear! This story is alive and well and will be filled with fun and drama in the coming chapters. I may have to boost the rating. Not sure yet; we'll have to see how my muse feels when I'm writing it. Anywho, I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm working on chapter 8 now, though I dunno when that'll be up. If you're still reading this, thank you and I love you!


	8. X and Y

**Usted Está Aquí  
**_By Stalk Me_

Chapter Eight  
X and Y

**Three Years Later…**

"Hey, boss! Boss!"

Akio Watanabe pulled the cigarette from his lips and exhaled a frustrated huff of smoke. "What?" he snapped, turning around to glare at one of his lackeys. The other man recoiled slightly at the tone in his superior's voice, but Akio's obvious annoyance wasn't enough to deter him from continuing on with what he wanted to say:

"Did you hear that Tanaka and his men were taken down the other day?"

Akio did not answer verbally; he merely brought his cigarette back to his lips, clamping his teeth down on it as he smiled ruthlessly. Yes he had heard that Katashi Tanaka and his men had been attacked in the middle of a bank robbery. Word had it that Tanaka and several of his men had been found dead before the police even arrived. Those who survived were now facing life in prison. Which was fantastic news for Akio; it meant more banks for him to rob.

Akio's lackey, however, appeared frightened. He had stopped packing the duffel bag full of money and was now cowering amongst his comrades, his eyes darting from one side of the bank's vault to the other.

"They…" he stuttered. "They say it was those kids!"

A growl rumbled through Akio's throat as he pulled the cigarette from his mouth once more. "That duffel bag isn't going to fill itself, Ito!" he barked.

Ito obediently returned to filling the bag with money, but he didn't shut up. "They say one's cold as ice, and the other is sweet enough to give you a tooth ache. A boy and a girl. The boy's the cold one, I think. They say he's about sixteen. The girl's thirteen or fourteen."

"Scared of a couple of kids, Ito?" Akio taunted.

"They're not just ordinary kids!" Ito shot back. "The Japanese police hired them to bring in people like us! If we go quietly, we just get arrested. If we fight…they fight back. And word is…these kids…they're like gods. They can…they can send us to Heaven or Hell when they kill us."

Ito's words caused the other lackeys to pause from filling the bags full of money. The silence around them was thick as fear settled onto everyone's shoulders. Akio knew that he had to take control of the situation fast.

"Any man who works for me," he said, softly, "is not afraid of a couple of kids." He glanced around his men, his eyes resting on Ito for a prolonged amount of time. "Grab the bags; we're heading out!"

The men jumped to action, half of them grabbing duffel bags and hoisting them onto their shoulders, while the others fanned out in front, their guns aimed at the bank tellers and customers that were being held on the floor. The group of thieves made their way to the stairs and descended to the parking garage below, walking quickly to the vans that awaited them. They were halfway there when the lights suddenly went out, plunging them into darkness.

Akio stopped, his spine growing rigid. The blackness suffocated him for a moment longer before the emergency lights turned on, casting an eerie glow around the garage.

"It's them!" Ito whispered ardently. "It's the kids!"

"Shut up!" Akio snapped. He opened his mouth to bark more orders, but was taken aback when he notice that his breath rose up in front of him as a mist. The garage had gotten a lot colder and the taste of something sweet was on his tongue.

Cold and sweet.

A nervous sweat was just breaking out on Akio's upper lip when a ding sounded behind them, followed by the mechanic sound of elevator doors opening. Akio and his men all turned, their guns raised. However, no one fired when they were greeted with the sight of two teenagers standing in the elevator. The taller one – the boy – leaned casually against the side of the elevator wall, his hands in his pockets. The smaller girl stood up straight, one hand playing with a lock of long hair. Both had swords: the boy's was strapped to his back and the girl's hung from her wrist like a bracelet.

"Boo," the girl said at last, playfully.

"Move in!" Akio yelled. His men moved forward, surrounding the elevator, their guns aimed at the teenagers' hearts. Akio pushed forward through his men so that he could glare at the kids and get a better look. The boy was tall. The kid's black hair was flying every which way and he had an unforgiving smirk. The girl was an average height for her age but had long, skinny arms and legs as well as tiny breasts. Her long, bleached blonde hair had slashes of pink in it, which wasn't unusual for youth these days.

What was unusual, however, were their eyes. The boy had dark brown eyes that had thin rims of icy blue just around his pupils. The girl was the opposite: her eyes were a warm brown, rimmed with pink on the outside of the irises. Akio stepped closer to them, examining their eyes to see if he could see the tell-tale rim of contact lenses. He didn't see any; the kids weren't wearing contacts to look intimidating; the odd colors were natural.

_They weren't human._

"Boss?" Ito called out questioningly, his voice shaky.

Akio swallowed and gathered his courage.

"Those of you with bags, move towards the vans. The rest of you…take care of these kids."

At the sound of his men moving, Akio turned and began walking quickly towards one of the vans, desperate to escape. He was conscious of the sound of fighting behind him: flesh hitting flesh, men grunting and falling to the floor, and the occasional gun shot.

He was almost to safety when the boy landed in front of him. The kid had his sword clasped tightly in one hand, and Akio noticed that a chain ending in a crescent moon dangled from the hilt; he hadn't noticed that in the elevator.

"I don't want to fight you," the kid said, but it was too late. Akio was already reaching inside his coat for his gun. He pulled it out and had just barely aimed it at the boy when the boy swung his sword and the chain and crescent moon whipped around and smacked the weapon from Akio's hand. The gun fell to the floor, and Akio stared in both anger and horror at the teenager. The garage was starting to get quiet as the girl silenced his men.

"Who are you?" Akio asked.

The boy grinned. "If I was cliché, I'd say that I'm your worst enemy." He paused and brought his sword to Akio's neck. "I'm not cliché, but I really am your worst enemy. I'm sure you've heard about me."

Akio stared at the boy for a few moments, sizing him up. The boy was tall and fit. He had muscles, though he looked more athletic and lean than bulky. If he knew how to wield the sword – which Akio figured he did – then the teenager could overtake him easily.

"I won't go quietly," Akio said at last, his pride not allowing him to go to jail.

The boy shrugged. "Then I'll have to fight you after all." He took a few steps back and lowered his sword from Akio's throat. He then used the weapon to point at Akio's gun on the floor. "Go ahead and pick it up. Take your best shot. This will be over soon."

Akio kept his eyes narrowed on the boy as he walked over to his discarded gun and bent to pick it up. The boy stood defensively, though he didn't move. Akio raised his gun and waited. Still the boy remained frozen. Akio fired and he barely heard the sound of a bullet reflecting off of metal before he felt a sharp, searing pain in his chest: The boy had blocked the bullet with his sword, which somehow caused the bullet to change its course and lodge itself into Akio's chest.

He took several steps back as the boy came forward and kicked him to the ground. Akio could feel his blood pooling around him as his vision grew hazy. All he could see was the boy standing over him, raising his sword.

"Are you going to send me to heaven or hell?" Akio asked.

The boy regarded him for a moment, showing no emotion. "There is no heaven or hell." He brought his sword down and Akio's world went black.

* * *

Karin landed hard on her back. Stars flashed before her eyes as she choked on her own breath. First hollow of the summer, and they were already getting their asses handed to them. It was not a good sign.

"Karin, get up, damn it!"

Kon's voice cut through the pain in her head, and for the first time since her fall, she realized that the hollow was advancing on her. Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro were holding it off as best they could, but this monster was stronger. Kon was standing off to the side: Karin's fall had distracted him from the fight. With great difficulty, Karin stood and trotted over to where Kon was standing. His hands immediately cupped her cheeks, holding her head steady as he checked her eyes, then his hands moved around her head and down her back, arms, and sides, expertly checking for broken bones.

"You're fine," he said. "Now go home." He turned abruptly to walk back towards the fight.

"Like hell I will," she snapped, following him.

They paused a few yards away from where their friends took on the hollow. They were on the roof of a small skyscraper, the late afternoon sun blinding them whenever the monster was on the western side of the building. Mizuiro was trying to use the sun to his advantage, reflecting the light off of his sparkles and into the monster's eyes, blinding it. Tatsuki was trying to break its limbs so that it couldn't attack them. Keigo repeatedly shot at its mask with his kidou gun. It was a slow tactic that made the hollow more angry than hurt.

"Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, pull back!" Kon suddenly commanded. The three of them immediately retreated, coming to stand around Kon, giving him their full attention. At a physical age of nineteen, Kon – still in Ichigo's body – looked more like a man than a boy. And, despite his reluctance to fight, his respect for living creations and the fact he his judgment wasn't always sound, he was their leader.

"Okay, guys, new plan," he said softly and quickly; the hollow was beginning to stir. "Mizuiro blinds it. Tatsuki and I immediately launch onto its mask. The two of us should be able to crack it. Keigo, I want you over there. And Karin, you go over there," Kon pointed to opposite sides of the building. "When Tatsuki and I are in the clear, blast the mask, got it?"

Everyone nodded.

Kon clapped his hands together. "Alright, gang, move out!"

The battle was over in a matter of minutes. The hollow roared with annoyance when Mizuiro blinded it, then it roared in pain as Kon and Tatsuki managed to crack its mask. By the time the dust from the double kidou attack settled, the hollow was gone.

"That's what I'm talking about, motherfucker!" Keigo shouted at the spot where the hollow had been just a moment before.

Mizuiro and Tatsuki laughed and started hugging one another. Kon was also smiling, though a bit sadly. He broke away from his friends and approached Karin, ruffling her hair.

"Come on, kiddo, we've got take-out to purchase and a sister to pick up from her dance practice." He threw his arm around her shoulders and led her over to the door that they had propped open so that it wouldn't lock them on the roof. They descended the stairs, passing confused business men and women. The hollow had caused quite a commotion. The entire building was in disarray, windows were broken, and Karin was sure that the neighboring buildings were in the same state.

They exited the building casually. Just as the police, fire department and news stations arrived. No one paid the two teenagers any attention.

* * *

Hitsugaya bolted up into a sitting position in bed. One minute, he had been deeply asleep. The next, he was wide awake, his eyes open and his heart pounding.

The burst of reiatsu had been strong. Was still strong, even though its power had lessened considerably. It was too strong to be one of the usual Hollows that made their way to Earth. The reiatsu was also…familiar.

"Hitsu-kun, do you think it's a Hollow?" Yachiru asked. She was standing in the doorway to his bedroom, still dressed in her pajama shorts and tank top as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.

"No," Hitsugaya replied. He threw back his sheets and jumped out of bed, then found a T-shirt and slipped it over his head. "That reiatsu…it's her," he said. He pushed past Yachiru and made his way to the front of their apartment.

"Huh? Who? Toshiro, aren't you going to put some pants on?"

Hitsugaya ignored her as he left their apartment in a pair of boxer shorts, a T-shirt and shoes with no socks. He didn't care how he looked; he had to find her.

The door slammed shut as Yachiru joined him on the street. They stood for a moment, focusing on the reiatsu and trying to pinpoint its location. They weren't out of practice; they trained everyday and their job in the human world involved working for the Japanese police. However, due to their long exposure to humans, they were more human than shinigami. As a result, it took them a moment to lock on the exact position of the reiatsu.

"This way," Hitsugaya said at last, and he and Yachiru took off in a run down the street.

"Do you mind telling me exactly who fell?" Yachiru asked grumpily as they ran.

Hitsugaya flashed her a grin, but didn't say anything. They rounded a corner, and there she was. Splayed out on her back in the middle of the street, her shinigami robes torn and bloody.

"Matsumoto," Hitsugaya breathed. He rushed to her side, dropped to his knees and examined the damage. He was sure that some of her bones were broken from the fall, and she had several open wounds, though they didn't look too deep.

"Toshiro, we should take her to a hospital," Yachiru said.

Hitsugaya shook his head. "She may be in her gigai, but she's still more shinigami than human. They'd notice," he explained. "We have to use kidou."

He spread his hands out over her body, unsure of where to start…unsure of whether he'd even be of any help. Healing kidou was never his strong suit, and he hadn't used it at all since working with Isshin three years previously. To make matters worse, his own reiatsu had become so weak that even if he could master a kidou spell, it probably wouldn't be potent enough to actually help Matsumoto. Still, he had to try.

He placed his hands on her broken arm and said the spell for healing broken bones. He was surprised when he heard the bone snap back into place.

"Come on Yachiru! Help me!" he exclaimed to the younger girl as he set to mending Matsumoto's broken ribs.

Yachiru hesitated for a moment. She bit her lip nervously as she approached them and knelt down on the other side of Matsumoto. She reached her hand out to a small cut on Matsumoto's cheek and whispered the appropriate kidou spell. The cut began to slowly knit together and heal over, and Yachiru breathed out a sigh of relief.

The two worked mostly in silence, letting only the occasional swear slip between whispered kidou spells. Finally, Hitsugaya deemed Matsumoto well enough.

"She's not conscious yet," Yachiru protested as Hitsugaya slipped his arms under Matsumoto.

"It's a long fall," Hitsugaya reasoned. He stood, Matsumoto in his arms, and began walking back to their apartment. Yachiru rushed ahead and opened the door for him.

"I'll start the bath water," she said.

"Huh?"

The young girl rolled her eyes at Hitsugaya. "She's all bloody, Hitsu-kun."

"Oh. Right." Hitsugaya blushed. Even though he had become intimately acquainted with Matsumoto's breasts in the past, he still found himself embarrassed over seeing her naked.

Yachiru seemed to pick up on his distress. "Don't worry, I can manage it on my own," she said. They entered the bathroom and Yachiru immediately began filling the bathtub.

"Are you sure?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Yeah, just set her down on the floor. I'll undress her and put her in the bath myself."

"You can pick her up?"

"Are you doubting my strength? Don't make me kick your ass, Hitsu-kun! Now get out of here!"

"Okay, okay!" Hitsugaya exclaimed. He gently set Matsumoto on the bathroom floor, then stood and headed towards the door. He turned back only briefly, catching a glimpse of Yachiru kneeling beside the older woman and opening her shinigami robes. Hitsugaya left before Yachiru noticed him staring.

He entered the dark kitchen and leaned against the counter. It was only then that he noticed that, for the first time in years, he could feel Hyounimaru pulsing against his back.

* * *

Kon shoved a forkful of waffles into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully as he skimmed over Isshin's print copy of _Grey's Anatomy_. It wasn't one of his official textbooks. He had gotten Ichigo into a good university in town and was now taking introductory level courses for the missing teen, but it was medicine that Kon secretly longed to learn. He had helped Isshin in the clinic over the years, and he was fascinated with the idea of saving people. Still, it seemed wrong to choose a career for Ichigo. It had been so long since he had even spoken to the boy that he had no idea what career Ichigo would even want. He remembered that Ichigo liked English literature – that didn't sound like something that would be involved in pre-med. Kon sighed, took another bite of waffle and turned the page.

"It's okay if you want to, you know," Isshin said rather suddenly. The older man sat down at the place next to Kon and gave him a knowing look.

"What do I want to do, old man?" Kon asked. He smiled as Yuzu set a plate of waffles down in front of her father.

"Go into medicine," Isshin answered.

Kon immediately snapped the book shut and shoved it away. "I don't."

"Right, course you don't." Isshin rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to choose Ichigo's life for him," Kon continued.

"You'd be doing him a greater disservice if you just keep taking gen-eds. He needs a specific area of study if he's going to make it as an adult. It might as well be medicine. If he doesn't like it when he gets back, he can always change it."

"Yeah? Then what will I do with all the useless medical knowledge when I'm back to being a…" he stopped and shot a quick glance at Yuzu. He had never told the girls about the stuffed animal body he used to have.

Silence filled the kitchen as Yuzu shot questioning glances at Kon and Isshin shot him worried stares. Kon wished that the floor would open up and swallow him whole. Thankfully he was spared further humiliation by Karin bounding down the stairs.

"No time for breakfast, Yuzu," she said as she grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. "I'm supposed to meet Puta-kun in the soccer field before school starts. I think he wants to copy my algebra homework."

"Hey!" Kon and Isshin both yelled at her retreating back. She paused and turned around to glare at them.

"Cheating is wrong, young lady," Isshin scolded.

"I'm going to walk you," Kon added. "I don't like the way that Puta boy looks at you, and I'm sure he wants something else that has nothing to do with algebra."

"Kon-nii!" Karin whined.

"Nope, it's decided," Kon said as he grabbed his backpack. "My first class doesn't even start until ten, so I have enough time to send a high school boy the touch-my-sister-and-you're-dead glare."

Karin heaved a frustrated sigh. "Fine, whatever," she said. "Just keep up."

Kon smiled. "Not a problem, sis."

He was just about to follow Karin out of the kitchen when Isshin stopped him by grabbing his arm. Kon glared down at him. He knew that his resemblance to Ichigo increased with each glare. Isshin, however, was not taken aback by it.

"We'll talk more about it later tonight," Isshin said.

Kon yanked his arm out of Isshin's grasp. "Whatever," he said. Then he followed Karin out of the door.

* * *

Even outside, with walls separating them, Hitsugaya felt Matsumoto's reiatsu. He felt it rejuvenate his own reiatsu. And, while the dragon wasn't talking to him, Hitsugaya still felt Hyounimaru. It made him deliriously happy.

"Hitsugaya! Oh – sorry. I didn't know you were meditating."

Hitsugaya opened his eyes to see Yachiru standing beside him on their porch. Like him, she had changed out of her pajamas and had dressed in day clothes.

"It's okay," he grunted. He scooted over a little on the bench that he was sitting on so that Yachiru could join him. "How is she doing?" he asked.

Yachiru shook her head. "She's still unconscious. I'm worried for her, Hitsugaya."

Hitsugaya frowned. "She's strong. She'll pull through. We did, when we fell."

"We weren't fighting a long battle before we fell. We fell in next-to-perfect condition," Yachiru reasoned.

"Her reiatsu is still strong."

"Is it?" Yachiru shot him a concerned glance. "We've been away from Soul Society for so long that I'm sure even the weakest reiatsu would feel strong to us now."

As if on cue, Hitsugaya felt Matsumoto's reiatsu weaken considerably. He and Yachiru exchanged panicked glances before running inside to check on Matsumoto. The older blonde woman was still unconscious and sweat dripped down her face.

"She has a fever," Yachiru said. "Which means she has an infection. Something's not healing right."

Hitsugaya stared down at his fallen vice captain. She was so pale; he had never seen her look so weak before.

"Hitsugaya Taichou," Yachiru used his title for the first time in ages. "She's your vice captain, and she needs a doctor."

Hitsugaya shook his head. "A human doctor would only experiment on her."

"I can think of one human doctor who wouldn't."

Hitsugaya looked at Yachiru in disbelief. He hadn't even considered going back…

"If you won't take her, I will," Yachiru said.

Hitsugaya shook his head again. "No, I'll take her," he said. He reached under her and picked her up. "I'll piggyback off of her reiatsu and use Shunpo. You pack our bags and take the first train that you can."

He turned and walked away.

"Hitsugaya!" Yachiru called after him. He turned and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't get hurt," she told him.

"Shunpo's easy," he replied.

Yachiru smirked. "I wasn't talking about Shunpo. Just don't do anything stupid, okay? I know how you get around her."

"I'm fine around Matsumoto."

"Wasn't talking about Matsumoto." Yachiru winked at him as he turned away and left. He pushed her taunting out of his head, held Matsumoto close, focused on her reiatsu and took off.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Yuzu, it was strange," Karin said. She and her sister washed the dinner dishes in the kitchen while their father spoke to Kon about life choices in the living room. "When Puta called this morning, he said he needed to see my algebra homework before class. But when I got there, his entire assignment was already done."

"I bet he wanted to ask you out," Yuzu squealed.

"Yeah, well that didn't happen either. Puta mostly just babbled and tried to ignore Kon, who was giving him a serious death glare, by the way."

"If Puta does ask…would you?"

Karin bit her lip nervously. She didn't like talking about these things. But the truth was that she had been thinking of years ago, she now found herself having a crush.

"Answer the question, Karin," Yuzu coaxed.

"I don't know. Maybe."

Yuzu shrieked with delight. "I knew you had a crush on him! And I'm glad too. I thought you'd never get over Hitsu-kun."

"He's been gone for three years, Yuzu."

"And you still whisper his name in your sleep."

Karin felt her cheeks go red. "I do not. Besides, it's not like he's ever going to come…" She paused.

"What is it?" Yuzu asked.

"It's a reiatsu. …I think it's his."

"Who's? Hitsugaya's? Oh my god, Karin, is he here?"

Karin nodded. "I think he's at the door."

* * *

Logically, Hitsugaya knew that Karin would be there. He didn't, however, expect her to be the one to open the door. She had grown taller over the years, but was still a good six inches shorter than him. Her hair was long, past her shoulders, and her facial features had softened with age. For a second, Hitsugaya had to remind himself to breathe.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied. Yuzu appeared just behind her and looked at Hitsugaya with large eyes.

"It is you!" Yuzu exclaimed. She rushed forward, as if to hug Hitsugaya, but then she stopped when she noticed that he was holding someone. "Um…" she stammered.

"Sorry," Hitsugaya apologized. "I know this is sudden, and I should have called or something." He blushed and avoided eye contact with Karin. He had been gone for three years, probably breaking her heart in the process, and now he literally showed up on her doorstep out of the blue with another woman in his arms. "This woman is Matsumoto, my vice captain in Soul Society. She fell last night. She's hurt and sick and…is your father home?"

For a moment neither girl said anything, then Yuzu seemed to snap out of her trance. Taking charge of the situation, she smiled widely at Hitsugaya and led him inside the house.

"Dad!" she called out. "You have a patient."

Isshin and Kon came into the foyer from the living room. Hitsugaya barely had time to greet them before they both launched into doctor mode. Isshin scooped Matsumoto easily out of Hitsugaya's arms, and Kon opened up the clinic and started preparing a bed. Hitsugaya was left behind with the girls, both of whom were giving him silent stares.

"I…" he started, but the trailed off. He what? Missed them. Was sorry for leaving abruptly then showing up just as abruptly? "I need to keep an eye on Matsumoto," he finished at last. "It's good seeing you two again."

Neither girl replied as he turned and joined Kon and Isshin in the clinic. He sighed as he closed the door behind himself. This was going to be harder than he originally thought.

* * *

**Author's Note:** After I posted the last chapter, I immediately started writing this chapter. I always intended to do the three year jump in the story, but never intended to take three years to actually post it. My reasoning for the very, very delayed posting is that I 1) got writer's block halfway through, 2) graduated grad school, got a full time job and became an adult, and 3) fell out of the Bleach fandom. With that said, I do want to say that _I have absolutely no clue as to what's happening in the manga_. The last thing I remember is right when they were going to start the battle with Aizen. And that's it. My knowledge of the Bleach universe is getting fuzzy, and I had to look up names and terms as I typed up this chapter, because I had honestly forgotten them. So, if I do continue this fic, I won't be following canon at all. Also, I'm not 100% sure if or when the next chapter will be up. Could be three weeks. Could be three years. Could be never. Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, though I'm sure it's not enough for the three year wait.


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